Diabetics and dieters alike delight in the barrage of dessert recipes that have been adapted to fit a low sugar lifestyle. Peanut brittle is often served around the holidays, and it makes an excellent snack any day of the week when prepared with health-conscious ingredients low in sugar and carbs.
The Basics
A brittle is a confection that was one of the first types of candy. It is a mixture of sugar and water that is heated to around 300 degrees when the sugar begins to caramelize and it reaches what is known as the hard crack stage necessary to achieve a toffee-like consistency. Peanuts and often peanut butter are then added, and the confection is poured onto a solid surface to cool, then is broken apart or cracked into bite-size and semi-bite-size pieces.
Lowering Sugar
You can use artificial sweeteners in place of traditional sugar in the kitchen to lower the amount of sugar in the dishes you bake. Stevia, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium and saccharin are artificial sweeteners that have been approved for use in the United States. Also, simply reducing the amounts of sugar traditionally used in dishes can be effective as well. Adding spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, or adding fruit to the dish, can help keep a palatable balance when using less sugar.
Recipe
To make a lower-sugar version of classic peanut brittle, butter a jellyroll pan or a slab of marble and set aside. Combine 1 cup of Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, 1 cup of corn syrup, 1/4 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of water in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Cook the blend over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. At this point, reduce the temperature to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the candy thermometer reaches 275 degrees. This takes about 20 minutes. Then add 2 1/2 cups of unsalted peanuts and continue cooking until the candy thermometer reaches 295 degrees. This should take an additional 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of sifted baking soda over the mixture, stirring it until it is blended. Pour the liquid into the prepared pan or on the marble slab, spreading it thinly. Allow the mixture to cool completely until it forms a hard slab, then break it into bite-size pieces.
Nutritional Facts
Using the recipe above for a lower-sugar version of classic peanut brittle is an excellent way for diabetics and dieters alike to enjoy something that was once considered taboo for them. Each recipe yields about 24 servings. Each serving contains 180 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 16 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein.
