Halloween is the time for old-fashioned treats: caramel apples, popcorn balls and peanut brittle.
I first made brittle as a child with my grandmother. It was simple, crunchy and delicious. Her peanut brittle was my favorite.
Back when the nose-to-tail dining trend began, I was asked to create a dinner featuring pork. For a treat, I embellished my grandmother’s recipe to make a bacon-peanut brittle that was handed out as the parting gift. It was the hit of the evening.
Brittle is easy enough for kids to make, though working with hot sugar requires supervision. The recipe requires rapid succession of steps once cooking starts, so have all of the ingredients by the stove ahead of time. A large saucepan also is needed to contain the brittle as it foams and expands.
Use a candy thermometer to know when you’ve cooked the sugar to the hard ball stage (255 degrees to 260 degrees) stage, or just use a cup of ice water. Just fill a 2-cup measuring glass with water and ice, and keep it close to the stove. When you think the sugar is ready, drizzle a few drops into the ice water. If the sugar syrup instantly turns into hard balls, the base is done.
At the hard ball stage, quickly add the peanuts, bacon and a bit of butter, then stir quickly. Cook this delicious mixture to a light caramel. It should be lightly golden brown and reach 300 degrees to 305 degrees. Add the baking soda, stir vigorously and pour onto a buttered baking sheet. The baking soda makes the brittle bubble, making it crunchy instead of just plain hard.
Bacon-Peanut Brittle (Pig Candy)
Start to finish: 1 hour (30 minutes active); Makes about 1 pound
This brittle is good ,and everyone seems to love it. The trick is to buy thick, meaty applewood-smoked bacon, then dice it and cook it slowly until the fat is fully rendered and the meat is a reddish mahogany in color. Press the bacon pieces between paper towels to make sure all of the excess fat is released. If you don’t do this, the candy will look cloudy.
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup salted, roasted peanuts
2 cups cooked, crumbled applewood-smoked bacon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Use about ½ tablespoon of the butter to coat a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly and slightly thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ancho chili powder and cayenne, then cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The sugar mixture should now be at the hard ball stage, or 255 degrees to 260 degrees.
Stir in the remaining butter, as well as the peanuts and bacon. Continue cooking until the mixture is golden brown and reaches 300 degrees to 305 degrees. Stir well, then add the baking soda and stir again. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and use a silicone spatula to spread evenly. Set aside to cool, about 30 minutes.
Once the brittle is cool, break into pieces by hitting the bottom of the sheet pan on the counter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Per 2 ounce serving: 480 calories; 190 calories from fat (40 percent of total calories); 21 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 580 mg sodium; 74 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 70 g sugar; 12 g protein.
