Mary Berry Peanut Brittle Recipe

This nostalgic Mary Berry Peanut Brittle Recipe is a lesson in confectionery chemistry, transforming simple sugar and salted peanuts into a shard of golden, glass-like candy. Cooked to a precise hard crack stage, it delivers an intense caramel flavor and a satisfying, teeth-shattering snap that makes it the ultimate handmade gift for the holidays.

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Mary Berry Peanut Brittle Ingredients

The Caramel Base:

225g (8 oz) Granulated Sugar: White sugar is best for observing the color change as it caramelizes.
150ml (5 fl oz) Water: Dissolves the sugar to start the syrup.
50g (2 oz) Butter: Adds richness and makes the brittle slightly easier to bite.
1 tbsp Golden Syrup: Helps prevent crystallization (graininess) in the boiling sugar.

The Crunch:

225g (8 oz) Salted Peanuts: The salt on the nuts is crucial to balance the extreme sweetness of the sugar. Use skin-on (redskins) or blanched, depending on your preference.

The Essentials:

Oil: For greasing the tray.

How To Make Mary Berry Peanut Brittle

Prep the Tray: Generously oil a large baking sheet or a marble slab. Do not use butter (it burns) or foil (it sticks). The caramel sets instantly, so you must have this ready before you turn on the stove.
Dissolve: Place the sugar, water, and golden syrup into a heavy-based stainless steel saucepan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely. Crucial Step: Do not let it boil until every grain of sugar has disappeared, or the brittle will crystallize.
Boil to Hard Crack: Add the butter. Turn up the heat and bring to a rapid boil. Do not stir! Let it bubble away until it turns a rich golden toffee color. If you have a sugar thermometer, you are aiming for “Hard Crack” stage (150°C / 300°F). If not, drop a little syrup into cold water; it should snap instantly like glass.
Add Nuts: Once the color is golden brown (be careful, it burns seconds after this stage), remove from the heat immediately. Stir in the salted peanuts quickly to coat them.
Pour and Set: Pour the molten mixture onto the oiled tray. Use an oiled palette knife or the back of a metal spoon to spread it out as thinly as possible before it hardens.
Cool: Leave it in a cool, dry place to set completely hard. This will take about 20–30 minutes.
Crack: Once cold and rock-hard, break the brittle into jagged shards with a toffee hammer or the handle of a heavy knife.

Recipe Tips

Humidity is the Enemy: Do not attempt this on a rainy or humid day. Sugar absorbs moisture from the air, which will make your brittle sticky and chewy instead of crisp and snappy.
The Color Test: If you don’t have a thermometer, watch the color like a hawk. Pale gold = chewy/sticky toffee. Dark amber = bitter/burnt. Rich golden brown = perfect snap.
Safety First: Boiling sugar is hotter than boiling water (approx 150°C). Do not taste it! Keep kids and pets out of the kitchen during the pouring stage.
Clean Up: To clean the solidified caramel from your pan, fill it with water and boil it on the stove. The sugar will melt away effortlessly.

What To Serve With Peanut Brittle

Coffee: The roasted notes of coffee complement the caramel.
Vanilla Ice Cream: Crush the brittle into dust and sprinkle over a sundae.
Dark Chocolate: Dip half a shard in melted dark chocolate for a deluxe version.
Gift Bags: Pack in cellophane bags with a ribbon for the perfect edible gift.

How To Store Peanut Brittle

Airtight: Store in an airtight container separated by sheets of greaseproof paper. If exposed to air, it will become sticky.
Cool Dry Place: Keep it in the cupboard, not the fridge. The humidity in the fridge will ruin the texture.
Shelf Life: Properly stored, it keeps for up to 2 weeks.

Mary Berry Peanut Brittle Nutrition Facts

Calories: 180 kcal
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Sugar: 20g
Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated per shard (approx. 30g).

FAQs

Can I use other nuts?

Yes. Cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts work wonderfully. Just ensure they are toasted or salted to balance the flavor.

Why is my brittle chewy?

You didn’t boil it long enough. It must reach 150°C (Hard Crack). If it only reached Soft Crack (135°C), it will stick to your teeth.

Can I add baking soda?

Some recipes add baking soda at the end to create air bubbles (honeycomb texture). Mary’s recipe is a traditional glass-brittle, but you can add 1 tsp of soda with the nuts if you prefer an aerated texture.

Try More Recipes:

Mary Berry Cheese Muffins Recipe
Mary Berry Blackberry Muffins Recipe
Mary Berry Cherry Muffins Recipe