Spiced Buttery Peanut Brittle

The addition of some aromatic spices from Chinese five-spice powder adds interest to the sweet and crunchy morsels of this typical Southern sweet.

Yield: 3 to 4 dozen pieces

Active time: 25 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour

¹/₂ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

¹/₄ teaspoon salt

1¹/₂ cups roasted peanuts (not dry-roasted)

Vegetable oil spray

1. Prepare a lipped baking sheet by lining it with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spraying the foil with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.

2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, water, and corn syrup, and mix well. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it registers 290°F on a candy thermometer, the soft crack stage. Stir in Chinese five-spice powder, salt, and peanuts.

3. Pour mixture immediately onto the prepared baking sheet. Tilt the sheet several times to spread candy in a thin layer. Allow brittle to sit at room temperature until it is completely cool. Break brittle into small pieces.

Note: The brittle can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week. Place pieces in an airtight container with sheets of waxed paper in between the layers.

Variations

Substitute any nut for the peanuts. If the nuts are raw, toast them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned.

Substitute cinnamon or apple pie spice for the Chinese five-spice powder.

The first notable increase in peanut consumption in the U.S. was in 1860 with the outbreak of the Civil War. Soldiers on both sides turned to peanuts for food. They took their taste for peanuts home with them and peanuts were sold freshly roasted by street vendors and at baseball games and circuses.