Papa's Spicy Peanut Brittle - 2022

So, I have learned a great deal over the years about making peanut brittle.  So, it is time for yet another update (2022).  I have found even more new techniques and changes in the amounts for some ingredients for creating this great brittle. Six major changes are reflected here, these include: 1) cooking the sugar to only 278 degrees; 2) reducing the amount of peanuts to 2-⅓ cups from 3 cups; 3) adhering to the humidity in the room (very important); 4) constantly stirring the mixture; and 5) where to pour out and flatten the mixure for cooling.  These issues are very, very important.  If the hunidty is higher that 40% the brittle may not setup correctly and might be sticky when it cools.  The density of the cooked sugar and peanuts must be balanced so that the mixtures can be spread more easily.  I have learned a great deal about stirring during cooking and the size of the steel pot to use when you make the brittle.  Finally, you need to keep the cookie tray hot from the oven so that the mixture has time to flatten out before starting to cool.  I normally turn on two cook top burners to low.  Get them warm and then turn off the burners.  When you pour the peanut brittle mixture into the pan, the pan should be sitting on top of the two burners.  It works great to allow more time to spread out the brittle.  An alternative is to put the cookies tray on the oven door once open and pour the brittle there.  I am still looking for the best vessel to use to cook the brittle.  Some say copper is the way to go.  More later.   For now, have fun.

• I use a 4.5 quart stainless steel pot that has a radius of 9.5 inches.   I find that a larger size base works better than a smaller pot.
• You need to stir the mixture during cooking.  I let the mixture get to about 245 degrees.  At this point, I add butter one tablespoons at a time to the mxture.  Mix each time you add the butter.  Stir until the butter is fully incorporated and the mxiture turns a lighter caramel in color. Continue to stir again to 278 degrees (soft crack)  At this point, you add the baking soda.    I take the mixture off the fire after adding the baking soda at 277.  Finally, moving very quickly add the peanuts, stir well and take out the cookie sheet and put it on the oven door (which should be hot) and then pour out the mixture and level and spread out.  

Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar or Sugar in the Raw.
• 1/2 cup Light corn syrup (for some reason, dark corn syrup does not work as well).
• 1/4 cup water.
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper to taste (or, up to 1 tsp. to make this stuff really hot).
• 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB unsalted softened butter (1/2 stick plus 1 TB butter).
• 1 TB Vanilla Extract.
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda.
• 2-1/3  cups lightly salted, dry roasted peanuts, I use Planters.

Procedure

• Preheat over to 175 degrees.
• Put the 2-1/3 cups of peanuts in an oven proof bowl and warm peanuts in oven.
• Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray (such as Pam) and put in the oven to warm the cookie sheet. 
• Doing the above two warming steps helps immensely when you mix and spread the brittle.  By preheating the peanuts you do not cool down the syrup mixture.  And, by preheating the cookie sheet, you are able to spead out the brittle easier. 
• In wide mouthed pot, over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, cayenne pepper, vanilla extract, and salt in a pot (be careful to not burn the sugar - maxium heat setting should be medium). Stir until the sugar dissolves and starts to bubble.
• Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the pot and boil mixture stirring until temperature reaches 278 degrees. 
• Add softened butter (one tablespoons at a time) at 245 degrees and stir until fully melted and combined.
• Cook until you reach 278 degrees.
• Lower the stove to low setting or take the pot off the heat.  And, then sprinkle baking soda over the syrup and stir. The contents should bubble and froth.  Further, the liquid will start to look dull and will slightly lighten in color.  Once this condition is reached, stir in the warmed peanuts and combined until the peanuts are completely covered.
• Quickly pour mixture evenly onto prepared (warmed) cookie sheet pan.  Make sure the cookie sheet is laying on the open oven door.   Use the back of a large metal spoon or a spatula to spread the brittle in the pan while it is still warm. To perfect this task might take a few tries. 
• At this point, I have a great new piece of advice. As I noted above, never cook the brittle when the humidity is over 40%.  A dear friend of mine who is a chocolate maker, suggested that once the brittle is ready to cool, but the humidity is over 40%, do the following.  Set a second oven to 100 degrees for 5 minutes.  The humidity in this oven should be about 10-20%.  So, put the prepared brittle into the second oven for about 30 minutes.  At that point, the brittle should be set.  You can bring it out to break up if it is set.  Otherwise, keep it in the second oven until it is easy to break up into pieces.  
• Cool completely and break into pieces. 

Some additional noted about cooking peanut brittle.  

• Keep a hygrometer in your kitchen to ensure that the humidity in your home is no greater than 40 percent. Alternatively, check your local weather broadcast and watch for your region's humidity forecast. The relative humidity of your region and home has a powerful effect on how the ingredients are able to bind together to form crunchy peanut brittle.  Use a second oven set to 100 degrees for 5 minutes to setup the brittle when the humidty is over 40%. 
• Check that you measured the corn syrup according to the recipe before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Lightly coat the measuring cup with oil first, so that the corn syrup simply slides out. This will ensure that all the corn syrup from your measuring cup ends up in your bowl.
• Additing baking soda injects millions of tiny bubbles into the candy, making it more delicate and crispy as it hardens and cools.
• Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the brittle. During the cooking stage, continue stirring the candy until the temperature reaches 278 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the soft/hard crack stage. This is the point at which the syrup solidifies when it's cooled. The issue is that when you are close to these temperatures the mixture can burn. Keep stirring the mixture until it reaches temperature will help to reduce burning. 
• After pouring and spreading the mixture onto the cookie sheet, try to cool the peanut brittle on a surface at room temperature. This will speed the cooling process and make for a crispier candy. 
• Store peanut brittle in an airtight container. This will minimize the amount of moisture the candy can absorb.