Happy Feast Day of St. John of the Cross! We listen to a podcast called Catholic Sprouts every morning on our way to school. It is a podcast for kiddos and is pretty amazing. It is short and sweet, and gets to the point rather quickly as to not lose the very short attention span we all know kids have. If you haven’t heard of it, check it out. I think your kids will enjoy having something to listen to in the car.
I received a request from my great aunt Laura to make peanut brittle. I haven’t made this in a looong time. I remember peanut brittle being sort of one-note and overly sweet growing up. I am pretty happy with how this turned out! I made a few changes to a very old recipe I had on hand from a Betty Crocker book that was written a few decades ago. I hope you love it!
Peanut Brittle
You will need:
- 1 c white sugar
- 1/2 c light corn syrup
- 1/4 c water
- 3/4 c roasted unsalted peanuts
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- candy thermometer
To start, get everything ready ahead of time. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. I use a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Nothing sticks to it….ever. I highly suggest getting some! Measure out the 2 tbsp softened butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, and 1 tsp baking soda. Have those ready to go on the side. This recipe will need your full attention for ~30 minutes.
In a heavy bottomed pot, add the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring constantly with a silicon spatula. Do not walk away from this or it will definitely burn. When it reaches 220 degrees F, add in the peanuts. Keep stirring until it reaches 300 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the butter, vanilla, and baking soda. Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet and gently spread around with a silicone spatula until it is all in one even layer. It does not have to be a perfect rectangle.
You can let this cool at room temp for a couple hours, or just pop it in the fridge or freezer to speed up the process. Once it is cooled, break it into pieces and store in an airtight container or bag in the fridge or countertop.
The roasted peanuts and vanilla definitely give this an improved flavor. I find myself reaching for another bite even after I have finished a piece (not sure if that is a good thing). It is light, crispy, and has just the right amount of sweetness.
I hope you love this recipe, and I encourage you to give it a try if your thoughts on peanut brittle are on the lower end of the dessert scale.
As always, thank you for your support.
Lots of love and many blessings,
Chelsea
Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Matthew 11: 11-15
The Catholic Kitchen 