A terrific taste of the 19th-century American confectionery
Peanut brittle as we make it and know it is seemingly an American product, dating to the 19th-century American South. That said, it has culinary cousins in Spanish turrón, Persian pashmak, and French croquant. Thanks to George Washington Carver, the popularity and availability of peanuts grew rapidly in the early 20th century, and peanut brittle became a confection one could make at home for family and to give as a gift. Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory uses the classic ingredients and nothing else: lots of Virginia Runner peanuts, sugar, a little sea salt, and baking soda. They do a particularly dark toast to take advantage of the benefits of the Maillard effect, caramelizing the sugars much as the great folks at the Roadhouse do with their Butterscotch Pudding, or the darker crusted breads at the Bakehouse.
It gets better: there’s a chocolate-dipped version. Great peanuts, dark chocolate, a bit of butter, and a snippet of sea salt—what could be bad? This stuff is delicious! In fact, the only negative thing I can say about it is that if you’re not careful, you’ll eat the whole package in one sitting. It’s a perfect snack—something to stick in your pocket if you’re hopping on a flight or going for a long drive. (It’s just not good for hot-weather picnics!)
The Peanut Brittle is actually excellent with cheese, like aged Gouda or Parmigiano Reggiano, and it goes really well with coffee, too. Crumble it up on an ice cream sundae, or, for some sweet-and-savory action, sprinkle small pieces on your next salad!
