Glass Peanut Brittle

By
Elizabeth LaBau
Sweet Book of Candy Making Elizabeth LaBau
Elizabeth LaBau
A professional pastry chef, cookbook author, and writer, Elizabeth LaBau has published more than 600 articles on baking and candy making.
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Updated on 05/26/22
Glass Peanut Brittle
Elizabeth LaBau
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 1 1/4 pounds
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
393 Calories
18g Fat
57g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 393
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 310mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 57g 21%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 51g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 210mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Glass peanut brittle is a thin, translucent variation of traditional peanut brittle. We call this "glass brittle" because the peanuts are suspended in a beautiful, almost-clear brittle that has the appearance of glass.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup

  • 2 1/4 cups salted roasted peanuts

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil very well with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and light corn syrup, and place the pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then raise the heat to medium-high and insert a candy thermometer.

  3. Cook the candy over medium-high heat until it reaches 260 F (126 C). At this point, add the peanuts, the butter, and 3/4 tsp of salt, and stir well. Turn the heat back down to medium.

  4. Cook the candy, stirring frequently, until it reaches 295 F (146 C). During the cooking process, it will develop a golden color and begin to smell like caramelizing the sugar.

  5. As soon as the candy reaches 295 F, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and stir it in.

  6. Scrape the candy out onto the prepared pan and spread it into as thin a layer as possible.

  7. Let the brittle cool for a few minutes, until it is still pliable but not burning hot. If you have food-safe latex gloves, you might want to put them on to protect your hands from the heat. Otherwise, spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully start pulling the brittle between your hands, stretching it as thin as possible. When you can no longer stretch it, let it cool completely at room temperature.

  8. Once cool, break the brittle into small pieces to serve. If you'd like, you can dip the pieces in chocolate for a tasty variation. Store Glass Peanut Brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. If you live in a humid environment, you might find that your brittle becomes soft and sticky over time.