Peanut Brittle

I have a friend who was amazed when she received a gift of homemade peanut brittle. She thought peanut brittle was one of those things you could only purchase at a store, but I assured her it was easy to make at home. Really tasty too. Be sure to check out the notes section below the recipe to find out how to keep peanut brittle nice and, well, brittle for up to 2 months.

Items needed to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

• candy thermometer https://amzn.to/3szQSa4

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3tkacXU

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3Bj6uBx

• flat parchment paper sheets https://amzn.to/35FuEu2

• silicone spatula https://amzn.to/3huTlMv

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Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle

makes about 2 pounds of brittle

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups white granulated sugar

• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup cold water

• 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 cups shelled, salted roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Line a half sheet pan with a silpat liner or parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a 4-quart or larger heavy-bottomed saucepan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and salt; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes until the temperature reaches 300F - 310F on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage).

3. Remove saucepan from heat and vigorously stir in baking soda and pure vanilla extract (don’t be alarmed when hot sugar syrup bubbles ferociously).

4. Quickly stir in peanuts and pour hot mixture immediately onto prepared half sheet pan; use a silicone spatula to spread mixture to about 1/4-inch thickness.

5. Allow brittle to cool completely before breaking into serving size pieces (this can take up to an hour). Store at room temperature in airtight container with parchment or wax paper between layers.

Notes

• You can spread the hot brittle mixture on parchment paper or a silpat liner, but I find the silpat liner a bit safer as it doesn’t move around on the sheet pan like parchment has a tendency to.

• I’ve been able to keep brittle crisp for up to two months. Here are my tips:

  • Make sure the brittle is completely cool before placing in storage container.

  • Be sure storage container is very airtight.

  • When opening storage container, replace lid quickly.

  • Keep brittle away from moisture/humidity (do not store in refrigerator).

  • Use parchment paper or wax paper between layers of brittle to keep the pieces from sticking together.

adapted from scratchpantry.com

Italian Almond Paste Cookies (Paste di Mandorla)

Paste di Mandorla or Italian Almond Paste Cookies are a traditional Sicilian cookie. They’re soft and chewy and full of delicious almond flavor. Super easy to make too.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• digital scale https://amzn.to/3dFMMoo

• large piping bags https://amzn.to/3Ev5iLy

• large star piping tube https://amzn.to/3nLr9Yn

• silpat nonstick baking mat https://amzn.to/3muHp0l

• almond flour https://amzn.to/3WmnjFP

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

• pure almond extract https://amzn.to/34DcoBp

• glace, glazed, or candied cherries https://amzn.to/3hBMKmW

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Italian Almond Paste Cookies (Paste di Mandorla)

Makes 24 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 250 grams almond flour, sifted

• 150 grams confectioner’s sugar, sifted

• pinch of salt

• 3 egg whites

• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 12 maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half (or glace, glazed, or candied cherries)

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, and salt; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract until very frothy (no liquid egg white in the bottom of the bowl).

3. Immediately stir the frothy egg whites into the almond flour mixture until a thick paste forms and no traces of dry ingredients remain (this can be done in a food processor too).

4. Transfer the cookie dough to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

5. Pipe the cookie dough into 2-inch swirls (as shown) on silpat-lined half sheet pans, and press a cherry half into the center of each cookie.

6. Chill cookie dough for an hour before baking (or freeze for 20 minutes).

7. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center of oven.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies brown on the edges; allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Almond meal may be used in place of almond flour. You can also make almond flour by grinding blanched almonds in a food processor until until finely ground.

• Sheet pans can be lined with parchment instead of a silpat liners, but the parchment is more difficult to pipe the sticky cookie dough onto.

• Glace, Glazed, or Candied cherries can be used in place of maraschino cherries.