Best Peanut Brittle

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups peanuts
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla

Details

Adapted from foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

NOTE: Be sure to have all of your ingredients measured out and ready to go. Once the candy is "set" it needs to be quickly poured out.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Candy thermometer and a silicone mat (if possible)

Grease a large cookie sheet (better, yet, use a Silpat mat). Set aside.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water.
NOTE: Using a candy thermometer, I waited until the hot liquid reached 250F. Reviews suggested this, so that I didn't risk burning the peanuts.

Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter, vanilla and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks*, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches; cool.
*I just tilted the brittle, as soon as it was poured on my Silpat and it distributed evenly.

Snap candy into pieces.

Notes:
If you have a silicone spatula, I recommend stirring and spreading with it as it will be easier to clean, but you can also use a wooden spoon, too. To clean your pot, thermometer, and spoon, fill the pot 2/3 of the way with water and a bit of dish soap, place the pot with the thermometer and spoon inside of it on the stove, and bring to a boil. When the water is hot, the hardened candy will clean off the pot, thermometer, and spoon.