Traditional Peanut Brittle made with Natural Sweeteners

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Traditional peanut brittle is the ultimate dessert that can be made fully with organic ingredients. There’s no need for artificial sweeteners anymore so say goodbye to refined white sugar and corn syrup! We have enough of them in other food so let’s try to reduce their intake whenever we can.

Of course, I won’t condemn anyone for eating ‘regular’ peanut brittle when they don’t have the time to make their own. I sometimes do it myself too – especially when my kids beg me for some peanut brittle but I literally don’t have the time to make one from scratch. And that’s okay too. I try to make up for it by feeding them something healthier the next day.

What I love about this recipe is its rich taste. The honey gives it that distinctive sweetness while the nuts, peanuts in my case, provide the saltiness. This sweet and salty combination results in a dessert that isn’t too overwhelmingly sweet and can be eaten freely without feeling sick afterward.

I also add coconut sugar to bring out the sweet taste even more. Coconut sugar is a relatively new trend in organic eating and it’s one of the best natural sweeteners available right now. Coconut sugar is the sap from a coconut tree that was collected and then evaporated. You can also source coconut sugar from palm trees. Be careful, however. Some producers sell coconut sugar that is far from what we could natural. I recommend buying only from trusted brands.

There is some controversy surrounding coconut sugar, though. When coconut tree sap is collected then the tree will revert to producing solely sap and it won’t grow any coconut fruit. Some people say that we should not collect the sap so that we can use the trees as a source for coconuts, coconut oil, etc.

I personally don’t see a problem with coconut sugar because coconut trees produce much more sugar than the typical sugar canes – so in that sense, they would be more sustainable than regular sugar. But if you are on the fence about this issue and would rather avoid coconut sugar at all then feel free to substitute with any other natural sweetener.

Necessary equipment:

  • two large rectangular baking dishes
  • a measuring cup
  • a large saucepan
  • a candy thermometer
  • a wooden spoon

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups of peanuts
  • 1 cup of raw honey
  • 2 cups of coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup of butter
  • ½ cup of filtered water
  • 1 ½ t. of baking soda

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the large baking dishes first. Butter the sides or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Combine the coconut sugar, honey, butter, and water in a large saucepan.
  3. Heat over medium high heat while constantly stirring and wait for the mixture to start boiling.
  4. Lower the heat to medium low and measure the temperature with the candy thermometer. Continue to boil steadily for about 30 minutes or until the mixture reaches so-called soft crack stage (about 275 degrees).
  5. Add in the peanuts and stir together. Continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. After the time has passed the mixture should be around 295 degrees, hard crack stage.
  6. Turn off the heat.
  7. Sprinkle the baking soda on top and stir it in quickly.
  8. Immediately pour in the mixture inside the prepared baking dishes evenly. Let it sit and wait until completely cool.
  9. Break the peanut brittle into pieces.
  10. Store in a covered container at room temperature and snack whenever you want!

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