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Helen's Famous Homemade Peanut Brittle made with raw peanuts



Mom has been making this recipe for 40 years. She calls it "Raw Peanut Peanut Brittle". She is 85 and makes it several times a year, and never less than 5 batches at a time. She and dad used to make it together and would take a day and make 20 batches. Obviously, she gives it away, and over the years, it has become the most coveted gift by all in our area.
Course Candy
Cuisine Canadian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Author Valerie Lugonja via Helen McKinney her mom!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup white corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups raw peanuts
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Important Materials:

  • protective gloves
  • candy thermometer
  • working mat for hot peanut brittle

Instructions

  1. Grease large teflon coated cookie sheet with butter; prepare counter top by greasing with butter or lay out a rubberized mat for candy making
  2. Combine first three ingredients in a heavy pot; bring to a boil at 230F
  3. Add raw peanuts; stir rigorously and constantly until thermometer reads 300F
  4. Remove from heat; add soda, salt and butter
  5. Stir well to combine; pour onto prepared cookie sheet and shake to spread mixture over surface of cookie sheet
  6. After about 30 seconds, loosen edges of brittle in cookie sheet with well greased spatula
  7. Turn cookie sheet upside down on prepared counter top of working mat; put on gloves
  8. The peanut brittle will release from the pan and fall onto the counter; with hands in gloves, push down on hot brittle to thin it and spread it out as much as possible while pliable (about 30 more seconds)
  9. Start next batch if making more than one (and you will be, after making one); then break somewhat pliable brittle into large pieces and move onto other cookie sheets to prepare the counter or candy mat and the large teflon cookie sheet for the next batch
  10. If not making another batch, simply wait about 15 minutes, break the brittle into individual pieces and store in an air tight container (We use ice cream buckets)
  11. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Three batches fills 2 four litre ice cream buckets.
Don't use anything but raw peanuts in this recipe. They can be purchased at Bulk Barn if there is one in your area.
Mom's Preparation Procedure for Batches
If making 5 batches have:
5 containers filled with the measured sugar
5 containers filled with the measured peanuts
5 small containers filled with baking powder and salt
5 small containers with measured butter
have the water and corn syrup out to measure separately for each batch
Special Note: Mom pours the measured corn syrup into the heavy pot with the sugar, and then measures the hot water. She then pours the hot water into the measuring cup the corn syrup just came out of to get it all and to clean out the cup. That pre- measured hot water then goes into the heavy pot with the corn syrup and sugar.