Pages

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Peanut Brittle


2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups raw Spanish peanuts
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. baking soda

Heat and stir sugar, syrup and water in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add salt. Cook over medium heat to soft ball stage (234 degrees). Add peanuts at 250 degrees. Cook to hard crack stage (290 degrees), stirring often. Remove from heat.

Quickly, stir in butter and soda. Beat to a froth for a few seconds. Pour at once onto 2 well-buttered 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch pans, spreading with spatula. If desired, cool slightly and pull with forks to stretch thin. Break up when cold.

Yield: About 1-1/2 pounds of peanut brittle.



1 comment:

Nana Laurie said...

Here is my "Overnight French Toast" recipe. It's inspired from a Paula Deen recipe. We were in Kansas several years ago and I saw here do it while I was sitting in the hotel room. I make it for special occasions at home and I make it to take to friends' homes on the morning of their children's weddings. Each year I make it for the whole staff at school at Christmastime. It is very rich and so good.
18 large eggs
1 loaf of Texas Toast
1 pint Half & Half
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 to 2 tsps Cinnamon
1 Tbs. Vanilla
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam (if I'm taking it to someone I use a disposable aluminum pan so they don't have to worry about returning it). Cut Texas Toast into halves (rectangular not triangular). Beat all of the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend in cream, half & half, vanilla and cinnamon.
Place one layer of bread in bottom of pan. Pour part of the mixture over the bread, making sure the bread is covered. Place another layer of bread and pour the rest of the egg mixture over the top.
Cover with aluminum foil and put in refrigerator over night so that the bread soaks up the egg mixture.
The next morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a microwave safe bowl melt one cube of butter. Mix in 1-1/2 cups of brown sugar until it's melted into the butter. Add 2 cups of chopped pecans. Pour this mixture evenly over the top of the bread.
Place uncovered in the oven and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes.
Let the french toast sit for about 10 minutes before serving.