Alright I shelled what peanuts I had on hand and only got a cup worth, so I intend to make up the difference with my second favourite kind of nut; Sunflowers. I looked up sunflower brittle and it's a thing, so I know I won't end up with some weird burnt mess apparently.Too too easy to do. Pot must be shiny clean. Don't want any magic crystallization. I even after it is shiny clean, rub the inside with butter (even if I am using glass pots). While that butter is out go ahead and rub some lightly all over a 1/2 tray. Now we are all ready.
Looks like the dog threw up in this picture.......LOL Chunks!
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Recipe........
Ingredients:
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups raw peanuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Cook sugar, karo, and water till it spins a thread. Add nuts (pepper and salt) and continue cooking to amber stage. You'll actually hear some peanuts pop. You want to heat to hard break but not past it, don't get in a hurry. (Hard break is like 290 to 300 I think)
Add vanilla and soda, pour as thin as possible on greased cookie sheet.
NOTES ::
You really don't need the vanilla extract, instead I add a pinch of ground cayenne and a pinch of salt. Bazinga!
Use a large pot, its molten sugar and even a little bit will make you say bad words. ALSO when you add the baking soda, just beat it, beat it beat it, its gonna foam. Beat it till its quit foaming, then quickly pour it into the tray. Be carefull.
Personally, at this point I spin the tray. It moves the brittle out from the center making it a little thinner.
After it cools drop it hard and it will break.
All broken hearted.... I mean broken brittle.
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Make it light make it dark, be careful though too dark it gets a scorched taste. You can add vanilla, coconut, maple, any extra for a slightly different variation. That little cayenne makes your mouth wonder what is going on with it. And a pinch of salt always makes sugar better.
If you like brittle and this is easy eating not hard rock candy, try it.
Can I ask what you used for a Ratio dave? I like this idea of cayenne in it..but a 'pinch' can mean alot of different things!Done... and in the freezer to cool soze Ize can eat sum....
I used dry roasted nuts.... No raw nuts up here...
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The best I've ever made... LOL... Vanilla, Cayenne, and Old Bay...
1st. time is the charm....
Perfect texture.... Easy to munch on... I'm hooked....
Can I ask what you used for a Ratio dave? I like this idea of cayenne in it..but a 'pinch' can mean alot of different things!
I plan to dig out my candy thermometer for this one to be fair. I knew I had one for..some reason.I added a pinch, then another pinch... tasted the syrup.. sprinkled more in the batch, tasted, sprinkled more.... Probably a tsp. or 2...
The biggest problem I had... A cabled therm was reading 297 and the syrup was getting brown... used 2 different switch blade therms and they read 308.... Sooooooooo, I've got a bit of a burnt taste..
Alright I shelled what peanuts I had on hand and only got a cup worth, so I intend to make up the difference with my second favourite kind of nut; Sunflowers. I looked up sunflower brittle and it's a thing, so I know I won't end up with some weird burnt mess apparently.
Which brings me to my second question; I plan to use maple over vanilla..but how much is a Pinch here Kevin? 1/4 tsp Cayenne? Sorry, I like to work with exacts here given it's hard to taste test 200+ Degree syrup for the proper flavour :)
Foam, That is a fine looking batch! TY for the recipe.
I plan to dig out my candy thermometer for this one to be fair. I knew I had one for..some reason.
I'll plan to start with 1/4th tsp and work from there. Since I won't be the only one eating it I figured it's a safer bet to go easy on the heat for the first run.
Well I'll admit I used light corn syrup...and I thought it was hot enough, my thermal probe said 300..then 303..that was when I also poured it. I couldn't find my candy thermometer! I'm hoping it'll be edible and I can chalk this down as a learning experience. It did react when I added the baking soda but I wouldn't call it foaming, not sure how the foaming should look. Sort of just ..blooming up? Maybe that is foaming.First thing I see is you did not achieve an amber color. That means you didn't get hot enough long enough. As to no foaming? I'll blame it on heat I guess if your baking soda is not out of date? If you stirred it fast enough without a break you might not see the foaming though. But that's some fast stirring.
So, explain to me, if it doesn't get hot enough, it doesn't get as hard???
so cooler = softer?
Well I'll admit I used light corn syrup...and I thought it was hot enough, my thermal probe said 300..then 303..that was when I also poured it. I couldn't find my candy thermometer! I'm hoping it'll be edible and I can chalk this down as a learning experience. It did react when I added the baking soda but I wouldn't call it foaming, not sure how the foaming should look. Sort of just ..blooming up? Maybe that is foaming.
It looked amber before I added the baking soda! I was worried about burning it though as well. Maybe overly worried in this case?
I guess it's a learning experience I need to work on. As my pops pointed out, I also was using stuff we had around, it was possible it was stale. I still view peanut brittle as ..well I just don't eat many sweets, so to me it tastes like pepper and sugar, and I'm like 'This must be right'The light corn syrup is also what I use. The dark makes the brittle too dark. BTW another reason that no extract is really required is the corn syrup. Light corn syrup has vanilla and dark corn syrup has Molasses flavors.
I think some of the amber color also comes from the peanuts as well as the sugars starting to caramelizing. If you can chew it without needing a dentist, it foamed.
Candy is sort of like smoking, its not always about how fast you can get to temperature.
?????? saccharomyces ??????? REALLY Foamy ??? LOL.... I'm going to look that up....
I guess it's a learning experience I need to work on. As my pops pointed out, I also was using stuff we had around, it was possible it was stale. I still view peanut brittle as ..well I just don't eat many sweets, so to me it tastes like pepper and sugar, and I'm like 'This must be right'
I might be wrong though too, but I thought it tasted good :)