Best Spicy Peanut Brittle Recipes

SPICY MAPLE BACON PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place bacon on a rack over a cookie sheet and cook until crispy, about 15 minutes. Reserve bacon fat. The recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter (fat) - replace as much of butter as you have bacon fat. Once bacon is done, drain on paper towels and chop into bits.
• Place the sugar and maple syrup in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar begins to melt. Lower the heat to medium-high and keep stirring just until the sugar is melted. Stop stirring and watch for it to turn a medium caramel color. About 10 minutes total.
• Stir in peanuts, and then bacon fat and butter. Then add Old Bay, cayenne and dry mustard. Allow peanuts to cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the bacon.
• Turn the mixture out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and spread it evenly to the desired thickness with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula. Sprinkle salt on top, while brittle is still warm.
• Allow to cool completely--at least one hour--then break the brittle into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature. If your brittle isn't brittle enough to break into pieces, pop it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, until it hardens enough to snap easily.

SPICY PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• Also spray a metal spatula (and yes it matters, goo will stick to all others and make it impossible to work with)
• set aside cookie sheet and spatula.
• In a large bowl, mix the peanuts, hot pepper sauce and allspice
• Put sugar and corn syrup into a large glass microwavable bowl.
• Stir mixture - will be very thick but will change when heated.
• Microwave, uncovered on high for 4 minutes.
• stir again.
• add in spicy peanut mixture.
• stir until blended.
• Return to microwave and cook on high 4-5 minutes longer.
• Stir in butter.
• Microwave 45 seconds.
• Very quickly add in baking soda and vanilla and stir. It will foam and the color witl lighten.
• Immediately pour into prepared pan and spread as thin as possible with prepared spatula.
• Cool, break into pieces (put in bag and use hammer to smash is easiest).

GAYLE'S SPICY PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a large heavy pan combine: sugar, Karo Syrup and water.
• Boil this mixture until it reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Then add raw peanuts. 1/4 tsp salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue cooking and stirring until thermometer reaches 290 degrees - hard crack - remove from the burner and add: vanilla and butter.
• Quickly stir together and add: baking soda and cayenne.
• Mix well and, working quickly, pour onto buttered cookie sheet. Use two if you want it super thin. Spread quickly and let cool.
• Break into pieces and store in airtight tin or canister.
• Gnote: I have doubled this recipe but mostly I make a batch and a half as it fits in the pan better when boiling up.
• I have made this with cashews and other nuts, too. Good stuff and not hard on the teeth!

BUTTERMILK SHERBET WITH SPICY PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Make the sherbet:
• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, then freeze in an ice cream machine.
• Using vegetable oil, generously oil a sheet pan (preferably one with sides), at least 11 by 17 inches. In a heavy saucepan, big enough to accommodate the additional ingredients, combine the water, sugar, cream of tartar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, boil the mixture until it reaches 350 degrees F. Remove from the heat and, working quickly, whisk in the spices. Stir in the butter, peanuts, and baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the oiled pan and spread it out a bit with a wooden spoon, to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness. Don't spread it too thinly. Let harden, uncovered, in a cool place, 30 to 45 minutes. (To wash the saucepan, soak it overnight). Using your hands, break the brittle into pieces. Store in an airtight container. Serve with scoops of sherbet.