Peanut brittle is a fantastic, quick, easy, last-minute sweet party snack or Christmas gift idea. Just two or three fairly low-cost ingredients and about 10 minutes of your time.

Perhaps saying it’s easy to make is a bit subjective. I won’t lie, I messed it up on my first attempt. I made the fatal mistake of stirring the sugar when it was boiling – NEVER succumb to the temptation of fiddling with it as it approaches the hard crack stage. It causes the sugar to become grainy which doesn’t allow the brittle to develop properly. Also, keep an eye on it; don’t heat it too quickly or it could quickly overheat and burn.

The results, when it was done properly, were delicious. The added bicarbonate of soda gives it an airy texture – almost like a Crunchie bar – and makes it much easier on the teeth. The added butter is optional, but it gives it a glossy sheen and a richness of flavour. You can try this recipe with other kinds of nuts such as cashews, almonds, pistachios, macadamias and Brazil nuts – or a combination!

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Peanut brittle

You can try this recipe with other kinds of nuts such as cashews, almonds, pistachios and Brazil nuts

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Course Snack

Cuisine British

Ingredients

  

• 500 g/17½oz caster sugar
• 3 tbs water
• 50 g/2oz butter optional
• 250 g/9oz roasted peanuts
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Instructions

 

• Line a large, shallow baking tray with greaseproof/parchment paper. You can grease the tray lightly to make the paper stick to it
• Pour the sugar into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Turn the stove on to a medium-low heat, add the water and stir for about 30 seconds until the sugar has turned to a thick syrup
• Stop stirring!
• Bring to the boil (still without stirring) allowing it to simmer for 5 minutes or, if you're using a candy thermometer, bring up to the hard crack stage of 146-154°C/295-309°F
• Turn of the heat, stir in the butter quickly
• Add the peanuts and stir in quickly
• Add the bicarbonate of soda and stir in quickly
• Pour carefully on to the prepared baking tray and allow to cool for about half and hour
• Break up into pieces using a toffee hammer or butt of a kitchen knife
• Store in an airtight container lined with greaseproof paper

Keyword brittle, candy, nuts, peanuts