Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Salted Peanut Caramel Brittle

Salted Peanut Caramel - ready to give as a gift
I have become obsessed with the making of this insanely divine but terribly, mischievously, naughty scrumdiddly.

I meant to post this recipe before Christmas, obviously - not after, when no-one in their abstinent, streamlined, January minds is, surely, going to knock up a massive pile of nectarous, crunchy, irresistible manna.

But then again, I thought, maybe they will. 

I have a major habit of making Salted Peanut Caramel as a Christmas foodie gift for friends so they can sink their pegs into this outrageously addictive delicacy. But I often wonder if I make such regular batches of it - just so I can, unconsciously, stuff my North and South with said scrumdiddly whilst packing it for the joy of others...hmmm.

The secret to making this just right is simple. To make a caramel brittle and set you must reach the right super-high temperatures and to do that you must have steely grim determination, as boiling molten sugar is monsterously dangerous, especially with small children around - do not lick the spoon for gods sake!

I live by my thermometer - thanks Lakeland - sorry. But this inexpensive device means you get it right everytime. And that is my simple rule to streamlined perfect caramel brittle, or honeycomb - for that matter, tout le temps.

Salted Peanut Caramel Brittle

250 grams of salted peanuts (you can use any nut here, obviously, donut)
200 grams of sugar
150 grams (or two large tablespoons of golden syrup)
25 grams of butter
1tspn of pure Vanilla paste or extract
1 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
60 mls Water

Method

Gently heat the sugar, water and golden syrup in a sturdy pan - bring it up to the boil.

When this gleaming golden mixture is boiling - place your thermometer into the pan and turn the heat UP! Stand back and let this baby go wild - it will boil and steam and just about get hotter than is sensible in a domestic kitchen with annoying husbands making tea and tres sproglets - but trust me well worth it - so try and keep the door shut...

Your looking to hit about 155C to get the hard crack, which is what we're after cadillacs.

When you hit that number take the pan off the heat pour in the nuts, the butter, the bicarb and the vanilla and whisk it up so the butter has melted the nuts are even and the bicarb has mixed and bubbled and done its chemical whoring.

Then pour the golden nutty mixture evenly across that cool stuff you can buy in Lakeland (should they be giving me money for this, constant, blatant spanking?) - AKA magic non-stick liner or bake-o-glide.

Now just walk away - yup, just walk right out of the room close the door go upstairs, or along the corridor if you live in a bungalow - and sort the washing out, brush your teeth, ring a friend, go check your inbox.

Leave the mixture for at least 30 minutes - 40, if you can bear it. It needs to cool right down and harden.

When it has cooled and is rock smashingly hard - you can now re-enter the kitchen. Get your bags or sealed boxes ready and begin to smash this baby right up. Then share it out amongst your bags or boxes and a little for you, of course...see, its good isn't it? What did I tell you.

The only negative regarding this recipe is that it does not last very well - unless very well sealed in a plastic container - but that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Enjoy mon amies!



Labels:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home