Spicy Maple Bacon 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.

THIS BRITTLE PIGGY

Steps:

• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and generously butter it. Working in batches, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then break each slice in half.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer registers 260 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the butter, nuts and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir once, then continue cooking over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until the syrup turns golden and the candy thermometer registers 285 degrees F, 5 to 10 more minutes. Carefully stir in the prepared bacon, the vanilla and baking soda. (The mixture will foam a bit.) Cook, stirring several times, until the foam subsides and the mixture darkens slightly, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, then carefully tilt to spread it into a thin layer. Use tongs to redistribute the bacon pieces if necessary. Let cool completely, then break into pieces.

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!

MAPLE BACON PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Bring sugar, water, corn syrup, and maple syrup to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball.
• Stir pecans and vanilla into syrup mixture until mixture begins to turn brown; add bacon. Cook until bacon mixture turns light brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir baking soda into bacon mixture. Pour brittle out onto a sheet of parchment paper set on a heat-proof surface and cool brittle to room temperature before breaking into pieces, at least 30 minutes.

MAPLE NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray lightly with cooking spray. Reserve 2 tablespoons of almonds and sprinkle the rest evenly over the foil.
• Combine brown sugar and maple syrup in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and caramel mixture comes to a full boil, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Turn oven off once preheated; place prepared baking sheet in the oven to warm.
• Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan with the caramel mixture. Add butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (149 degrees C) or until a small amount dropped into ice water forms a hard, brittle strand, about 20 minutes.
• Remove baking sheet from the oven and immediately pour the caramel mixture over the almonds. Spread evenly to about 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle remaining almonds and chocolate chips over open spaces. Spread chocolate evenly once melted. Let brittle cool completely, at least 30 minutes. Break into pieces.