Peanut Brittle

20 servings

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups raw peanuts (also good
     with canned salted peanuts)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 Tablespoons butter

Coat 2 cookie sheets and a firm spatula with buttery vegetable cooking spray and set aside.

In a heavy large pot, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Clip on a candy thermometer to side of pot. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, bring mixture to a boil over high heat; stop stirring. Reduce heat to medium; boil until temperature reaches 230° degrees (thread stage), about 5 minutes.

Add peanuts, stir constantly until mixture reaches 300° degrees (hard-crack stage), about 25 - 28 minutes. Near the end of this cooking; in a small measuring cup combine the butter, vanilla and baking soda for later addition.

Remove from heat (IMPORTANT - WORK QUICKLY FROM THIS POINT ON) and quickly add the butter,vanilla,soda mixture and stir just until butter melts. Pour 1/2 the mixture onto each cookie cheet and spread with prepared firm spatula as thin as you can. Let mixture cool at least an hour. Turn out of pan and break into shards

Bon appetit!