So I haven’t been an official Candy Addict for long, but you may have noticed that I like to make candy as well as eat it. And if you’ve read any of my other posts, you’ve undoubtedly read about my grand affinity for peanut butter candies.
I am delighted to be able to introduce each and every one of you to my absolute favorite candy ever. This candy cannot be bought in a store, at a mall, or from a circus vendor. To my knowledge, this candy can only be obtained from your own kitchen. (Unless someone gives it to you as a gift, but I promise you that I never give this stuff away.)
This candy makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I could eat an entire 1.5 quart plastic container of it in one day. I hide it from my children. To me, the four words that make up this candy’s name are just an alternate way to spell “holiday” or “delicious” or “love.” This candy is peanut butter hard candy.
Before I provide the recipe, let me give you fair warning: this is real candy making. This isn’t like the Easy Peasy Fudge recipe I shared a few days ago. This one requires a candy thermometer or a candy-making expert with a glass of ice water and intimate knowledge of “hard crack.” It takes time and patience and a strong arm to stir. It can be very helpful, maybe even necessary, to have two people for spreading it onto the pan after cooking.
I promise it’s well worth the effort, though. I started making peanut butter hard candy when I was about 13. If I could do it then, you can do it now. So without further ado….
Peanut Butter Hard Candy
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups peanut butter
Stir together sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over medium heat until mixture boils. Place your candy thermometer into the mixture and continue boiling until it reaches the “hard crack” stage (295 to 310 degrees F).
While mixture boils (and well before it reaches the hard crack stage), measure peanut butter into a large bowl. Pour boiled syrup mixture over peanut butter and stir very well. Work fast. (This is where it helps to have two people for stirring.) Turn onto a baking sheet or platter. Cut while still hot.
That’s it! Not too complicated, right? Don’t be afraid to give it a try, especially if you love peanut butter as much as I do. Making peanut butter hard candy is definitely easier than making caramels (which I tried and scorched three times in two weeks).
As you’re spreading the candy onto your platter, most of it hardens into thick pieces which are deliciously rich with a unique texture all their own – very slightly chewy while slightly flaky at the same time. Some of it dries thin and “stretched” as you’re drawing the spoon away from the bowl and platter. These pieces are crunchy and light and almost melt in your mouth. The combination of thin, melty/crunchy pieces and thick, chewy/flaky pieces is one of the things I love about this candy. The peanut butter flavor it the main thing, though, of course. (I know, I’m quite predictable.)
Be brave! – go try to make some peanut butter hard candy and let me know how it turns out.
Awesome! Peanut butter brittle! I’m putting peanut butter on my grocery list. :-)
December 29th, 2008 at 9:20 amI’ve never heard it referred to as peanut butter brittle. It’s actually a different result than brittle….not as thin or, well, brittle. It won’t “snap” like brittle does. But I do eat pb hard candy and any type of brittle until I’m thoroughly sick, so they do have that in common.
I’d love to hear your thoughts after you make it!
December 29th, 2008 at 11:10 amGreat recipe! And your son, at least I think that’s one of your sons in the background, is so adorable.
December 29th, 2008 at 6:13 pmThanks, Robby! I was wondering if anyone would notice him. His name’s Robert, and we call him Robby a lot so it’s appropriate that you saw him first. :) He turned a year old a couple weeks ago, and we don’t share our candy with him, wahahaha!
December 30th, 2008 at 11:51 ami tried this once but stirred the peanut butter and sugar mixture for too long but it did not turn out. I did it again today, corrected my mistake, and it turned out great. Tastes kinda like the middle of a Butterfinger or 5th avenue bar. Thanks!
December 31st, 2008 at 3:36 pmHi, Josh. I’m glad you tried the peanut butter hard candy again and glad to hear it turned out good for you! It is easy to mess up if you don’t watch the thermometer closely enough. I cooked a batch just TWO degrees above hard crack and, ugh, it had a slightly burnt flavor and we couldn’t eat it.
You’re right that it tastes similar to the middle of a Butterfinger. I’d never thought of that before!
January 1st, 2009 at 3:30 pmJust curious, how did you discover this recipe?
January 1st, 2009 at 10:19 pmThat adorable child had to be Robert, he is a perfect cutie!
this turned out to taste like bad fudge. what did we do wrong?
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:56 pmThis is an excellent recipe. It was such a hit for not only my family, but all of my friends who gave it a taste. It reminded me of the inside of a Butterfinger bar, sans the mockolate coating.
Two thumbs up.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:52 pm@ Holly
January 11th, 2009 at 3:23 pmYou just stirred for too long, that is what i did the first time i made it. You want to mix it as quick as possible, and as soon as you think the peanut butter is decently incorporated into to corn syrup you want to pour it onto the sheet. You should not be stirring for longer than 30 minutes.