Mom's Best Peanut Brittle Recipe - Real Life Dinner (2024)

FAQs

Is peanut brittle good or bad for you? ›

Peanut brittle has one redeeming quality: peanuts. Outside of that single ingredient, peanut brittle is painfully unhealthy. It contains: sugar, corn syrup, and butter, all of which are unhealthy for your body in different ways.

The main reason why peanut brittle doesn't get hard and have the crunch we expect is because the sugar was not cooked long enough. The sugar needs to be cooked to what is called the hard crack stage, 300ºF.

To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks. To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.

But did you know that this popular treat may very well be an American invention? That's right. And an American folk hero of yore may have helped garner its fame. In fact, peanut brittle's place in American pop culture is certainly an established one.

From inhibiting the absorption of other minerals such as iron, zinc, manganese and calcium, to wrecking your weight loss goals, to causing digestive issues, consuming too many peanuts can be bad for your overall health. Furthermore, those who are allergic to peanuts should refrain from eating it at all costs.

Baking soda is also very important at this stage since it reacts to the heat, creating carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, enabling it to snap when someone bites into it rather than requiring them to gnaw at it until it breaks or pulls apart.

Peanut Brittle Ingredients

Corn syrup: Light corn syrup prevents graininess, ensuring a perfectly creamy texture. Water: Water helps the sugar completely dissolve. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the other flavors. If you opt for salted butter, you can skip this ingredient.

Why did my peanut brittle turn out chewy? The likely cause is that the sugar mixture didn't reach the proper hard crack stage temperature. Ensuring it reaches 300˚F is key to getting that classic brittle texture.

Reviving stale peanut brittle is possible to some extent. You can try placing the stale peanut brittle on a baking sheet and gently heating it in an oven at a low temperature, around 250°F (120°C), for a few minutes.

Remember human peanut brittle is not safe for dog consumption, so make your pup their own to enjoy!

Why is my peanut brittle bitter? ›

Those other liquid sugars have impurities that will burn at the higher temperature of making caramel, leading to a bitter-tasting brittle.

To maximize shelf-life, you can vacuum pack the peanut brittle just after it's cooled completely. Then store it in a cold, dark place, or even freeze it. Vacuum packing will minimize oxygen and potentially extend the shelf life to 6 months or more.

But, peanut brittle becomes terrible for your teeth once all of those ingredients are combined into the final product. After it's made, peanut brittle turns into a hard, sticky candy that can do some serious damage to teeth.

In parts of the Middle East, brittle is made with pistachios, while many Asian countries use sesame seeds and peanuts. “Brittle,” a flat hardened sugar candy, is thought to be one of the first candies ever made. Peanut brittle made with corn syrups and nuts began appearing in cookbooks around the 19th century.

It has many variations around the world, such as pasteli in Greece; sohan in Iran; nougatine in France; alegría or palanqueta in Mexico; pé-de-moleque in Brazil; panocha mani, panutsa mani, or samani in the Philippines (which can also be made with pili nut); gozinaki in Georgia; gachak in Indian Punjab, chikki in other ...

Peanut brittle contains 130 calories per 28 g serving. This serving contains 4.5 g of fat, 2 g of protein and 20 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 15 g sugar and 0 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Peanut brittle contains 1 g of saturated fat and 0 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Peanuts are high in unsaturated fat, mostly monounsaturated fat (the type that is also in olive and rapeseed oil). This means they're high in calories. But they're also a source of fibre, protein and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Most nuts appear to be generally healthy. But some may have more heart-healthy nutrients than others. For example, walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pecans also appear to be quite heart healthy.

Though they might seem high in calories, nuts—including peanuts—are a great snack if you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. The combination of protein, fiber and healthy fats found in peanuts can help keep you feeling full and satisfied between meals.