Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my homemade peanut brittle get hard? ›

The main reason why peanut brittle doesn't get hard and have the crunch we expect is because the sugar was not cooked long enough. The sugar needs to be cooked to what is called the hard crack stage, 300ºF.

Place the peanut butter in the microwave, and heat it for 30 seconds. Once the 30 seconds is up, stir the peanut butter to makes sure it's melting evenly. Place the peanut butter back in the microwave for another 30 seconds, and stir again. This will probably take a few rounds to get to your desired consistency.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray. Place the pan on a heat-proof trivet or cooling rack and set aside. Pre-measure the vanilla, baking soda and peanuts and place in bowls or measuring cups near the stovetop.

For a 1200W microwave: microwave the peanuts for the following times, mixing after each time: 2:30 minutes, 2 minutes, 1:30 minutes, 30 seconds. At the end, the peanuts should be toasted and fragrant.

Cooking times were considerably shorter in the microwave ovens than in the conventional ovens. Reduced power was used for microwave cooking of roasts, except that rib eye roasts were cooked at full power for the first 5 min.

Be sure to use a candy thermometer to ensure it reaches 300 degrees F or hard crack stage. What does baking soda do to peanut brittle? Adding a little baking soda aerates the peanut brittle causing it to expand slightly for a crunchy texture that won't break your teeth when you chew it.

Baking soda is also very important at this stage since it reacts to the heat, creating carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, enabling it to snap when someone bites into it rather than requiring them to gnaw at it until it breaks or pulls apart.

Should you refrigerate peanut brittle? Store the brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month to maintain the crisp. Moisture in the refrigerator would soften the brittle.

While melting peanut butter in the microwave requires minimal effort, it is important to stir your spread every 30 seconds when you take it out. Peanut butter can burn quickly since it doesn't contain much water, and you'll want to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of your bowl.

There would be no problem if it was a glass jar, but plastic can melt and/or give off chemicals when heated. So, for plastic try putting it in a pot of hot tap water, instead.

Why won t my peanut brittle set? ›

Didn't get it hot enough. You have to hit hard crack stage heat or it's not going to harden. From internet: Hard-Crack Stage is a cooking term meaning that a sugar syrup being heated has reached 149 – 154 C (300 – 310 F.) It is a test of how hot a sugar syrup is, and of how much water is left in it.

Working quickly, pour into prepared 10×15 pan. To keep the brittle light and airy, do not spread or flatten the mixture. Instead, let it flow freely. Place in a cool area and leave until completely cooled, about 2-3 hours.

I don't recommend substituting honey, molasses, or agave for the corn syrup. Those other liquid sugars have impurities that will burn at the higher temperature of making caramel, leading to a bitter-tasting brittle.

The best way to crack open in-shell peanuts is to place the peanut between your thumb and forefinger and apply gentle pressure until the shell cracks. You can also use a nutcracker or a sturdy pair of pliers to crack open the shell.

Stir peanuts, microwave 2 minutes. Stir peanuts, microwave 30 seconds. Check to see if peanuts roasted (golden brown), if peanuts pale in color, continue in 30 second increments until roasted. Cool on baking sheet until completely cool, about 20 minutes - the peanuts will become crunchy as it cools.

Soak peanuts in hot boiling water for 2 to 3 hours before cooking to soften them. In the past, I boiled them without any prior soaking and they turned out slightly crunchy despite simmering them for nearly 2 hours on the stovetop.

Roasting peanuts involves a lot of waiting. The peanuts must be soaked in a salty brine long enough for the flavor to reach the “nu*t” itself. Once brined, the peanuts must dry before roasting.