Here's my Mom's famous Pecan Brittle recipe that she makes every Christmas. Loaded with freshly picked Kansas pecans. My dad lives on this stuff from Thanksgiving to New Years, and somehow my mom always manages to make enough to give as gifts.
Gather your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter. Butter two baking sheets and keep warm in a 150 degree oven until candy is almost done.
In a small bowl, mix together baking soda, water, and vanilla extract. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water and light corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches 240 degree on candy thermometer.
Stir in butter and pecans. Continue cooking and stir constantly until the sugar sauce reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage). Watch carefully, so mixture does not burn.
Immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda mixture until thoroughly combined.
Pour half of the candy onto each of the warmed baking sheets and quickly spread evenly as thin as possible.
Allow to cool, and break candy into pieces. Place in an air-tight contained when completely cool. This recipe will make 40-60 pieces of candy, depending on how small or large you break the pieces.
Notes
Tip: The key to brittleness is thinness. To ensure this quality, be sure to spread candy mixture carefully and thinly.*Unless otherwise indicated, all butter used on this recipe site is salted.