Name: Peanut Brittle
Yield: Makes about 3 cups of 1- to 2-inch pieces
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray (optional); 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup tapioca syrup or corn syrup; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups raw shelled peanuts, papery skins removed if necessary; 1/8 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter; A candy thermometer

Editor's note: Use this Peanut Brittle to make Bi-Rite's Malted Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut Brittle and Milk Chocolate Pieces.

Cooling Time: 1 hour
Shelf Life: Up to 2 weeks

Peanut brittle is truly an indispensible ingredient for us at Bi-Rite Creamery. We break it into large pieces and sell it as candy around the holidays, but we also chop it finely and use it year round in ice cream and buttercream frostings. It can be used to add a little extra sweetness and crunch to just about any baking recipe. It is important to use raw peanuts in this recipe; toasted nuts will overcook during the candymaking process.

Note:

This is a candy recipe, which means that timing is of the essence. For the best results, read through the entire recipe, measure out all of your ingredients, and set out the necessary equipment before you fire up the stove. A candy thermometer is essential.
Make it Your Own
•Any kind of nut would work in this recipe, but it is important to use untoasted nuts. If you were to start with already-toasted nuts, they would likely burn in the process.

Recipe notes

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Grape Dumplings

Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.

Île Flottante

Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.

Mississippi Mud Cake

This cake was created from thrift and was supposedly named after its appearance, which reminded people of the muddy Mississippi River bottom.

Palets Bretons

Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.

Fufu

Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.

Wampanoaug Clam Fritters

The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.