Peanut Brittle - Sorta
Peanut Brittle - aka Ground Nut Candy
This Historical Food Fortnightly Challenge (HFF #3. 3) is The Tiffany Problem: Have you ever come across a dish that is older than you expected? That seems like it should be an anachronism, but isn't? Now's the time to give it a try.
Before we start, here's some background information on the term "Tiffany Problem."
According to Helen Vnuk, writing on MamaMia (April 25, 2018)
Ingredients and Techniques
Ground nuts are another word for peanuts. The title of this article found in the American Cotton Planter (Montgomery, Alabama; March 1853) makes it clear.
According to Helen Vnuk, writing on MamaMia (April 25, 2018)
"... there’s an expression coined by the fantasy writer Jo Walton: The Tiffany Problem.
It describes “the tension between historical fact and the popular perception of history”. In other words, it’s when a writer who has done painstaking research puts historically correct information into a novel, and readers complain that they’ve got it wrong, just because it looks wrong, when it’s actually right.
“Tiffany is a real attested medieval name,” Walton explained in an interview with the Internet Review Of Science Fiction.
“It’s a variant of Theophania. It appears in 12th century documents from Britain and France, and you cannot give it as a name to a character in a historical or fantasy setting because it looks too horribly modern.”
It describes “the tension between historical fact and the popular perception of history”. In other words, it’s when a writer who has done painstaking research puts historically correct information into a novel, and readers complain that they’ve got it wrong, just because it looks wrong, when it’s actually right.
“Tiffany is a real attested medieval name,” Walton explained in an interview with the Internet Review Of Science Fiction.
“It’s a variant of Theophania. It appears in 12th century documents from Britain and France, and you cannot give it as a name to a character in a historical or fantasy setting because it looks too horribly modern.”
Selecting a Recipe
Having studied period cookbooks for a number of years, I find hard it to be surprised by the age of a recipe. Macaroni and cheese - know about that. French toast - check. I should note that the finished product of a period recipe such as macaroni and cheese may not meet our modern expectations, but that should be expected as recipes change over time and as various trends (TexMex, gluten-free), inventions (refrigeration!), and food products (canned shortening, canned soup) come into or out of vogue.
Ground nut candy did surprise me, though. In a haze of "old timey-ness" it SEEMS that peanut brittle should be old, but documentation is a different thing. Brief soapbox moment: just because something "seems old," doesn't make it so. Finding written evidence in the historical record is key. As I noted earlier, foods change over time - a "bride's cake" made from a 19-century recipe is vastly different from a modern wedding cake.
Back to the recipe. I had written off peanut brittle as something after 1865, but then I found Mrs. Bliss' recipe for Ground Nut Candy (The Practical Cook Book, Mrs. Bliss, Philadelphia, 1850).
Back to the recipe. I had written off peanut brittle as something after 1865, but then I found Mrs. Bliss' recipe for Ground Nut Candy (The Practical Cook Book, Mrs. Bliss, Philadelphia, 1850).
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| The Practical Cook Book 1850 |
We find the same recipe for Ground Nut Candy in The Carolina Housewife (Charleston, SC; 1855), only doubled.
Ingredients and Techniques
Ground nuts are another word for peanuts. The title of this article found in the American Cotton Planter (Montgomery, Alabama; March 1853) makes it clear.
Thinking that modern snack peanuts, either cocktail or dry roasted, would not be a great candy ingredient, I purchased a large bag of dry raw peanuts from the Indian section of my grocery (and it was on sale!).
The recipe calls for "parched peanuts"; my search of period publications did not give me any idea of how to do this, so I turned to modern recipes. The technique I used was to spread the measured amount of peanuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a 350 degree F oven for approximately 15-20 min. Most of the modern recipes I found expected the peanuts to still be in the shell, so I had to watch the nuts carefully as they roasted. Once the nuts started showing a bit of brown, I pulled them from the oven and let them cool on the sheet.
Using modern peanut brittle as my point of comparison, I made the assumption that the skins needed to be removed. One of the easiest ways to remove the nut skins is to put a small number of peanuts in a non-terry dishtowel, close the towel in a bundle, and then rub the peanuts together inside the towel.
Once the skins are removed, take the nuts out of the towel, shake the skins into the garbage, and repeat. Once this is completed, you may want to take a break to sweep or vacuum.
Gill A gill is a modern 1/2c.
Molasses I used a mixture of mild (12 oz) and blackstrap (4 oz) because that was what I happened to have in the house. I would sincerely recommend you use all mild molasses.
Candy Temperatures are not given so I had to guess, using my experience. I interpreted "growing thick" to be around soft ball (230 degrees F). Once I added the peanuts, I set the timer. I reached hard crack (280 degrees F) in roughly 8 min. Your timing will depend upon your stove and the amount of heat you set. If you let the candy temperature go too high, it will sugar or "sand."
Procedure:
2 c shelled, parched peanuts, skins removed. See parching directions in the section on Ingredients and Techniques
2 c molasses (mild preferred)
1/2 c brown sugar
4 T butter
Butter the bottom and corners of a jelly roll pan. I used an 11x14" pan. Set it aside on a heat resistant surface.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan (4 qt), place 2 c of molasses, 1/2 c of brown sugar, and 2 oz (4 T) of butter. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Check the temperature every so often with a candy thermometer.
Around 230 degrees, add the peanuts. Continuing stirring until the candy reaches the hard crack stage, around 280 degrees. I tested by dropping small amounts into a cup of ice water, especially since the peanuts made using the thermometer a bit more awkward.
Quickly and carefully pour all of the sugar syrup and peanuts into the buttered tin, scraping down the pot sides. Smooth the top to level it and set the pan aside to cool.
At this point, soak all of your candy making equipment to make clean up easier.
Once the candy is totally cooled, flip the pan over onto a hard surface and give the bottom a whack. The candy will fall out and shatter. Break up the larger chunks into your desired size.
Results
I was indeed very successful in producing a beautiful, crunchy brittle.. The taste of molasses is VERY STRONG - and I happen to love molasses. I would encourage you to avoid all blackstrap molasses if you attempt making ground nut candy. My husband feels the molasses taste overpowers everything.
The cost was roughly $13: my grocery shows a 12 oz jar of molasses as $4.59 (times 2 for 16 oz) and I found an amazing sale on raw peanuts for $4. The brown sugar and butter are negligible amounts, simply coming from my pantry and refrigerator.
The recipe calls for "parched peanuts"; my search of period publications did not give me any idea of how to do this, so I turned to modern recipes. The technique I used was to spread the measured amount of peanuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a 350 degree F oven for approximately 15-20 min. Most of the modern recipes I found expected the peanuts to still be in the shell, so I had to watch the nuts carefully as they roasted. Once the nuts started showing a bit of brown, I pulled them from the oven and let them cool on the sheet.
 |
| parched peanuts fresh from the oven |
Using modern peanut brittle as my point of comparison, I made the assumption that the skins needed to be removed. One of the easiest ways to remove the nut skins is to put a small number of peanuts in a non-terry dishtowel, close the towel in a bundle, and then rub the peanuts together inside the towel.
 |
| Some of the peanuts will need to be rubbed a second time |
Once the skins are removed, take the nuts out of the towel, shake the skins into the garbage, and repeat. Once this is completed, you may want to take a break to sweep or vacuum.
 |
| Parched peanuts, with skins removed! |
Gill A gill is a modern 1/2c.
Molasses I used a mixture of mild (12 oz) and blackstrap (4 oz) because that was what I happened to have in the house. I would sincerely recommend you use all mild molasses.
Candy Temperatures are not given so I had to guess, using my experience. I interpreted "growing thick" to be around soft ball (230 degrees F). Once I added the peanuts, I set the timer. I reached hard crack (280 degrees F) in roughly 8 min. Your timing will depend upon your stove and the amount of heat you set. If you let the candy temperature go too high, it will sugar or "sand."
Procedure:
2 c shelled, parched peanuts, skins removed. See parching directions in the section on Ingredients and Techniques
2 c molasses (mild preferred)
1/2 c brown sugar
4 T butter
Butter the bottom and corners of a jelly roll pan. I used an 11x14" pan. Set it aside on a heat resistant surface.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan (4 qt), place 2 c of molasses, 1/2 c of brown sugar, and 2 oz (4 T) of butter. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Check the temperature every so often with a candy thermometer.
Around 230 degrees, add the peanuts. Continuing stirring until the candy reaches the hard crack stage, around 280 degrees. I tested by dropping small amounts into a cup of ice water, especially since the peanuts made using the thermometer a bit more awkward.
Quickly and carefully pour all of the sugar syrup and peanuts into the buttered tin, scraping down the pot sides. Smooth the top to level it and set the pan aside to cool.
 |
| Candy cooling in pan |
At this point, soak all of your candy making equipment to make clean up easier.
Once the candy is totally cooled, flip the pan over onto a hard surface and give the bottom a whack. The candy will fall out and shatter. Break up the larger chunks into your desired size.
Results
I was indeed very successful in producing a beautiful, crunchy brittle.. The taste of molasses is VERY STRONG - and I happen to love molasses. I would encourage you to avoid all blackstrap molasses if you attempt making ground nut candy. My husband feels the molasses taste overpowers everything.
The cost was roughly $13: my grocery shows a 12 oz jar of molasses as $4.59 (times 2 for 16 oz) and I found an amazing sale on raw peanuts for $4. The brown sugar and butter are negligible amounts, simply coming from my pantry and refrigerator.
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