Peanut Brittle

Coat one large cookie sheet (17×24) with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a heavy 5-quart saucepan with lid, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cover pot, bring mixture to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes. Dissolve sugar by carefully swirling pot often over burner. Keep lid on, this will prevent crystals of sugar from forming in the candy.

Once steam begins to escape from pot, remove cover and reduce heat to medium. Insert candy thermometer, continue to boil until thermometer reaches 300ºF (hard crack stage) and is a rich golden brown color, approximately 14–18 minutes.

Add peanuts, stirring constantly with a metal spoon until mixture reaches hard crack (300ºF).

Immediately remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla and baking soda. Stir with metal spoon until butter melts; mixture will be foamy. Pour mixture into prepared pan. I do not spread or stretch at this point. The brittle will be thick and honeycombed, not thin. Allow to cool at least 1 hour.

Turn brittle out of pan, snap into large or small pieces. Can be stored 6 weeks in an airtight container.