This homemade brittle contrasts hard, amber sugar with crunchy peanuts. A holiday favorite for gift-giving, Joyce's Blue Ribbon Brittle fills tins nicely.

Joyce's Blue Ribbon Brittle

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shelled, unsalted peanuts

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, light corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook to the light caramel stage, about 320°F on a candy thermometer, stirring occasionally.
2. Using a pastry brush moistened with water, wash any crystallized sugar from sides of pan back into mixture .
3. Remove sugar mixture from the heat; add butter and baking soda, stirring to mix well. (Mixture will foam.) Add peanuts, stir until mixed and pour onto a well greased baking sheet. Allow to cool and harden.
4. Break into pieces of desired size.

Makes 24 servings.