Honey Roasted Peanut Brittle

It’s October, we haven’t even celebrated Halloween yet but when you walk into pretty much any store you would place bets that Thanksgiving had come and gone and Christmas was well on its way.  Isles start getting flooded with Christmas décor earlier and earlier each year.  The crazy thing is, people are buying the stuff, getting ready to deck the halls.  Since people are buying the décor there’s no doubt they are starting to plan their candies, cookies and other food and menus for the holidays.  I’ve already seen the popcorn tins full of various flavored popcorns, barks and other candies. 

One of the most popular candies and edible gifts during Christmas is brittle.  I see individually wrapped pieces at cash registers and all size buckets that are delivered to corporations.  While I’m not trying to rush through Halloween and Thanksgiving I am looking forward to the goodies that are associated with the holiday season and I to enjoy a piece or two of peanut brittle during the holidays.  So when I came across this recipe on Life and Kitchen, my secret recipe club assignment for this month, I decided to get the candy making started!

Lindsay is a girl after my own heart, not just because we share the same name!  But because she loves the brittle but she tends to agree that brittle with just plain ol’ peanuts can tend to be a little bland.  So she decided to amp up the flavors a bit by using honey roasted peanuts.  With this substitution not only to you get the rich, buttery caramel flavor of the brittle but you also get another depth of flavor from the honey roasted peanuts.  I decided to use a combination of honey roasted and dry roasted peanuts with salt; allowing the honey roasted to add their flavor and the salted ones to help cut through the sweetness.  Let me tell ya, those honey roasted ones did the trick.  They provided another layer and depth of flavor to the brittle without overpowering that delicious, buttery, crunchy caramel layer that holds all those delicious nuts. 

If you intend on making candy this year for gifts for the neighbors, parties or just to snack on then take a note from Lindsay and use some honey roasted peanuts.  Need more ideas for those upcoming holiday gatherings, or for snacks and meals in general?  Be sure to head over to Life and Kitchen, she’s got a variety of mouthwatering recipes that range from breakfast, snacks, main courses, candy and everything in between.  One of the many things I’ll be making very soon, her  warm buttermilk apple pie.  My mouth was watering over that pie and I can’t get it out of my mind!

Honey Roasted Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Cup water
3/4 Cup light corn syrup
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1/4 Tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp vanilla
1 3/4 Cup honey roasted peanuts
1/4 Cup dry roasted peanuts with salt

Directions:

Rub a 9×13 pan with the butter and set aside.

Place sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Secure a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, until the thermometer reads 260.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add salt and butter and allow to cook until the thermometer registers 295.  Add baking soda and vanilla and stir to combine.  Be careful because the mixture will bubble and foam up.  Stir in the peanuts and immediately pour onto the prepared baking sheet.  Allow to set until cooled and hardened.

Break the peanut brittle into pieces.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: barely adapted from Life and Kitchen who adapted it from Bon Appetit

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