Dad's Peanut Brittle

My Dad’s favorite candy is peanut brittle so each year one of his Christmas gifts from me is a box of peanut brittle.  I never realized just how easy it is to make your own batch of this crunchy nutty delight!  And it’s better than “store bought” too!  So what’s not to like about this?  It’s quick and easy and most definitely satisfies the craving for sweet & salty!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

• Butter a cookie sheet (or better still, use a silicon mat for really easy clean-up)
• Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl (one with a handle helps because the bowl gets really hot).  Microwave on high for 3 ½ minutes.
• Stir in peanuts and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
• Stir in butter and vanilla and microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Stir in baking soda until light and foamy.
• Pour onto cookie sheet and spread as thinly as possible. 
• Cool completely and break into pieces

Tips:  For easier clean-up, spray your glass bowl and spoon or spatula with cooking spray.  Then wash with hot, soapy water.

My microwave is 1200 watts so this timing works perfectly.  If yours is less powerful,  you should increase the cooking time; if more powerful, then reduce the cooking time.  Practice makes perfect!