Name: Jessica B. Harris' Peanut Brittle
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: .5 tablespoon unsalted butter; .5 cup raw shelled peanuts with skins removed; 2 cups granulated sugar; .25 teaspoon baking soda

Jessica B. Harris' Peanut Brittle

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Jessica B. Harris

Published on March 20, 2021

Jessica’s Peanut Brittle — Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Active Time:

20 mins

Cool Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Yield:

2 dozen

After more than 35 years of writing cookbooks, I have to make a culinary confession: I do not bake. No punching down dough or rolling out cookies or delicately fluting the edges of piecrusts for me. I'm not really a dessert eater, so my sweet tooth runs to candy. Cooks make what they like to eat, and while other people may have fond memories of Christmas gingerbread men and Easter rolls, my remembrances are of blocks of fudge and walnut-topped fondant creams.

One recipe, though, has always been my standby: a super quick peanut brittle. I'm not really sure where I got it, probably from my mother, but for decades it has been my go-to. Crumble a bit of it over some store-bought ice cream, and voilà—something special to end a meal. Package some up in a ribbon-tied box, and it's the perfect hostess gift. And if the gummy bears have run out, this candy made of Southern staples is as close as the pantry. I have made the brittle with different types of nuts, but the classic peanut just tastes best to me.

This seems to be a Southern creation, as peanuts have long been common here. They were even the subject of the popular Confederate Civil War song "Eating Goober Peas." Little did those singing know that it had an African connection. Goober (a Southern term for this legume) comes from the Lingala or Kongo word nguba, meaning "peanut." When the song was published in 1866, the authors were listed as P. Nutt and A. Pindar, obviously an inside joke. (Pindar is from the word mpinda, which is another Kongo term for peanut.)

When the Civil War acquainted the North with this food, its popularity soon spread around the country along with that of peanut brittle. Recipes for the candy made with corn syrup and these nuts began appearing in American cookbooks starting in the late 19th century.

My version is a very simple one, and it doesn't require cream of tartar, corn syrup, or even a candy thermometer—just butter, peanuts, sugar, a pinch of baking soda, and a cast-iron skillet.

Ingredients

½ tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup raw shelled peanuts with skins removed
2 cups granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Completely coat bottom and sides of a 13- x 9 ½-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter. Spread nuts in an even layer on prepared pan; set aside.
Cook granulated sugar in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-low, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the sugar just begins to melt. Stop stirring. Cook, undisturbed, until sugar melts completely and is syrupy and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes total. (If the sugar begins to brown too quickly or clump in some spots, carefully remove skillet from heat, stir gently, and return to heat.) Add baking soda, stirring well to make sure it is mixed thoroughly.
Quickly pour the sugar syrup over nuts on rimmed baking sheet. (You may not totally cover the bottom of the pan.) Allow it to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Lift peanut brittle from baking sheet. Break into bite-size pieces, and store in an airtight glass jar. The brittle will keep for several weeks—if it doesn't get eaten first.

Peanut Brittle Pointers

Pay Attention: Hot sugar is like lava, so care must be taken at all times. This is a recipe that demands your full attention while it cooks, so be sure to have all the necessary tools and ingredients in place before you begin to heat the sugar.

Toast the Nuts: I prefer to make my brittle with dark-roasted peanuts. I toast them by stirring them around for a few minutes in a hot skillet.

Try a Marble Slab: I prepare candies often enough that I purchased a confectioner's marble slab. Although it isn't necessary, it stays cold, so the candy cools quicker. The slabs are often pricey, but a couple of 12- x 12-inch marble floor tiles will also work well.