Pat Boyd's Peanut Brittle

My mom always made peanut brittle during the Christmas holiday. I remember her cursing a lot too trying to get it just right as she used the cold water testing method for temperature. She vowed that you couldn't make peanut brittle on a humid day.

In honor of her, I headed off to the kitchen with her old cookbook, and a thermometer! to see how well I would fare. I think she'd be proud of the result.

Pat Boyd's Peanut Brittle

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cups un-roasted Spanish or Virginia peanuts
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter (her recipe called for 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla (my addition)

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.
Cook slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Cook to soft-ball stage (238*).
Add peanuts and salt.
Cook to hard-crack stage (290*) stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Add butter, soda and vanilla.
Stir slightly.
Pour evenly into well-greased shallow pan.
When cold break in pieces.