Just Desserts: Peanut Brittle

Holidays or not, there always seemed to be a tin of peanut brittle around -- you could call it the Methodist version of pralines.

2 cups sugar
1 cup white syrup (Karo)
1/2 cup water
2 cups raw spanish peanuts
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook the sugar, syrup and water to soft ball stage. (See below)

Add peanuts and cook to 300° F. Set off stove, add butter & soda. Add vanilla and stir well.

Pour onto two well-greased cookie sheets -- stretching as soon as it cools slightly. When cooled, break into pieces and serve.

Candy-making Stages:

Thread - begins at 230°
The syrup will make a 2" thread when dropped from a spoon.
Soft Ball - begins at 234°
A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but flattens when picked up with fingers.
Firm Ball - begins at 244°
The ball will hold its shape and flatten only when pressed.
Hard Ball - begins at 250°
The ball is more rigid but still pliable.
Soft Crack - begins at 270°
When a small amount of syrup is dropped into chilled water it will separate into threads which will bend when picked up.
Hard Crack - begins at 300°
The syrup separates into threads that are hard and brittle.
Caramelized Sugar - 310° to 338°
Between these temperatures the syrup will turn dark golden, but will turn black at 350°.

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