Making toffee and peanut brittle in Florida?
by Barbara Baehr
For 30 years I have made peanut brittle and almond toffee/chocolate topping - then we moved to Florida. I have not been able to successfully make a batch of either without the final product not becoming gooey, the chocolate squishy and the peanut brittle tacky to touch. What am I doing wrong? Hi Barbara, Different things DO affect candy making like temperature, humidity, and altitude. If there is a difference in those things compared to where you used to live, that could be the problem. I assume you've tested your candy thermometer to be sure that it was accurate? I have to check mine before use because I live in the tropics and at a high altitude. It makes it very challenging to compensate for those things sometimes. I wouldn't have thought it would be too humid in Florida this time of year. I lived there 35 years ago, but my memory of the weather patterns may be off a bit. It certainly sounds like a humidity problem, though. At any rate, check your thermometer to be sure that boiling water registers at 212° F. If it's off, adjust the temperature you cook to up or down as needed. If it is a humid day, and you are determined to make some candy, raise the cooking temperature by 2 degrees. Just be careful not to let it get too high and burn your candy. Any other Southerners with tips on successful candy making in the south for Barbara? ~Angie
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