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Loading...A beloved Brazilian confection, this crisp peanut candy combines roasted peanuts with caramelized unrefined cane sugar for a deeply nutty, smoky-sweet treat. Crack it into rustic shards and serve alongside strong coffee for an authentic taste of Brazil's countryside.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings (about 24 pieces)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 280 kcalCalories
- 16 gFat
- 3 gSaturated Fat
- 28 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 22 gSugar
- 8 gProtein
- 75 mgSodium
- 220 mgPotassium
- 35 mgCalcium
- 1 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 25 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the candy
- 2 cups (280 g) raw skin-on peanuts
- 1 cup (220 g) rapadura or dark muscovado sugar, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Directions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with butter; set aside.
- Toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden; transfer to a bowl.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the chopped rapadura, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook without stirring until it reaches the hard-crack stage (300°F/150°C on a candy thermometer), about 8-10 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in the butter, baking soda, and salt — the mixture will foam and lighten in color.
- Immediately fold in the toasted peanuts, working quickly before the syrup sets.
- Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer about 1/2-inch thick using a greased spatula.
- Let cool completely at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until hard and crisp.
- Break into irregular shards and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Cook’s Notes
- If you can't find rapadura, substitute with equal parts dark muscovado and granulated sugar for a similar molasses depth.
- Always have your baking sheet ready before the syrup reaches temperature — the pouring window is short.
- A candy thermometer is essential; going past hard-crack stage will make the candy burn and taste bitter.
- For thinner shards, spread the mixture thinner; for chunkier pieces, leave it thicker.
- Store between sheets of wax paper to prevent the pieces from sticking together.
