Spicy Peanut Brittle Recipe (Using Leftover Cowboy Candy Syrup) - Our Little Homestead (2024)

FAQs

What can you do with cowboy candy? ›

Literally anything. Top a burger, a bagel and cream cheese or a pizza. Chop and add to any salad, especially ones where you might otherwise use pickle relish — egg, chicken or potato salad, for example — or dips and sandwich spreads. They elevate nachos to a religious experience.

Baking soda is a key ingredient in peanut brittle. It's what aerates the candy, giving it a nice light crunch. Why didn't my homemade peanut brittle get hard? The main reason why peanut brittle doesn't get hard and have the crunch we expect is because the sugar was not cooked long enough.

NOTE: The longer the cowboy candy sits in the refrigerator, the sweeter it becomes, so it's best to let it sit for at least a week before enjoying. If you want to freeze cowboy candy, you can do so by transferring the mixture to a freezer-safe container and storing it for up to 6 months.

To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks. To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.

They're similar to pickled jalapeños but with a lot more sugar in the recipe, resulting in crunchy, crystalline jalapeños that have extra sweetness to cut through all the spice. Plus, the added sugar and exclusion of water in the pickling liquid, creates a thicker, syrupy brine that packs a bright, acidic punch.

If you're a newbie to this condiment, like me, cowboy candy is a colloquial name for sliced jalapeños in a sweet and tangy syrup. They are a great addition to sandwiches, salads or nachos and really shine when paired with cheese.

Why did my peanut brittle turn out chewy? The likely cause is that the sugar mixture didn't reach the proper hard crack stage temperature. Ensuring it reaches 300˚F is key to getting that classic brittle texture.

Those other liquid sugars have impurities that will burn at the higher temperature of making caramel, leading to a bitter-tasting brittle.

As we said, the biggest enemy to the longevity of your peanut brittle is moisture. Whether it's during the cooking, cooling, or storage process, moisture and humidity can ruin the best batch of brittle in minutes, leaving you with a soggy, sticky mess.

Thanks to the acidity of the vinegar and sugar, cowboy candy should stay good for 2 to 3 months in the fridge without canning (maybe longer). You can also freeze candied jalapeños for up to 6 months as long as you store them in freezer-safe containers!

What is cowgirl candy? ›

Cowgirl Candy (Candied Sweet Peppers)

Take the temperature

With peanut brittle, there is a point in the process where you add baking soda to the bubbling mixture of prior ingredients. That mixture needs to be no more than 305 degrees Fahrenheit to result in a crunchy candy.

The water is there in the first place to help prevent sugar crystals. Steam from the boiling water washes down the sides of the covered pot as the sugar cooks and takes with it, down into the boiling sugar, any crystals that form or are thrown onto the sides of the pot.

When candy cools slowly on a stone slab, more crystals have a chance to form. With a higher number of micro-crystals, the sugar has more sites on which to crystallize, and so crystallization ultimately happens faster.

In China, it is used to sweeten chrysanthemum tea, as well as Cantonese dessert soups and the liquor baijiu. Many households have rock candy available to marinate meats, add to stir fry, and to prepare food such as yao shan.

Cowboy candy is a versatile treat! Some popular ways to serve cowboy candy is on crackers smeared with cream cheese. Some other great ideas include serving over baked brie, on salads, on a burger or hot dog, or even right out of the jar!

Drizzle melted hard candy over your popcorn to create a sweet and salty delicacy. You may choose one type of candy or mix your favorites to form an unforgettable flavorful snack. If you'd like to add texture, simply crush up the candy and mix it in for crunchy goodness.