Actual warning: Sugar syrup can burn you badly! Please be careful and keep kids away from this one!
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 c water
2 C raw Spanish peanuts
1 tsp. maple flavor*
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rub a stick of cold butter once over the surface of a cold jelly roll pan. This is exactly the amount of greasing you need.
Put all ingredients together in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 minutes. Near the end of this time, there will be less liquid in the pan and you will need to stir constantly, watching for a change and to avoid burning.
As the liquid goes away, and you can still see the bottom of the pan after dragging the spoon across it, the sugar syrup will suddenly and quickly take on a hazy appearance and begin to stiffen. You will see the syrup crystalize on the sides of the pan. At this moment you pour the pan directly out onto the jelly roll pan and quickly spread the peanuts out over the surface with a greased spatula. - If you go too soon, you'll end up with ODD tasting peanut brittle. If you go too long, you'll have a peanut ball. Just right and you'll get individually coated peanuts! -
Salt the mixture and put into the oven for 15 minutes. Take out, stir, salt and bake for 15 minutes longer. Take out, stir and cool. Store in an airtight container.