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Peanut Plank

thegreatdane

By thegreatdane
in Pastry & Baking

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thegreatdane

thegreatdane

Posted
Posted

Anyone remember the Peanut Plank? It was roasted peanuts held together with a clear hard sugar coating. It's no longer made so I can't check the ingredients. Does anyone know what sugar or combination of sugars held the nuts together and how they were made? I'd like to try making one.

Thanks,

Tom

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JeanneCake

JeanneCake

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Posted

I was curious about this, and tried to find the web site that sells "obscure" foods like the sugar cereals we grew up with, skybars - the stuff you can't find anymore. I didn't find the site - yet - but I did find this:

Peanut Plank recipe

It doesn't call for baking soda. Maybe there's a way to make a clear caramel or something that is more golden than amber for this purpose....

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CanadianBakin'

CanadianBakin'

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Posted (edited)

Are you maybe thinking of a praline made with peanuts? You would spread about 1 cup chopped peanuts on a silpat, then whisk together 10 ounces of sugar and 3/4 tsp lemon juice till fluffy and melt till amber colour. Pour the syrup over the peanuts tilting the pan to spread a bit more evenly and it will firm up in about 20 minutes. You just break it into pieces. Must be stored airtight.

edited to add: just checked recipe link above and it's very similar. In answer to your question, you don't need glucose to get clear. Plain melted sugar is clear.

Edited by CanadianBakin' (log)

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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thegreatdane

thegreatdane

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
Are you maybe thinking of a praline made with peanuts? You would spread about 1 cup chopped peanuts on a silpat, then whisk together 10 ounces of sugar and 3/4 tsp lemon juice till fluffy and melt till amber colour. Pour the syrup over the peanuts tilting the pan to spread a bit more evenly and it will firm up in about 20 minutes. You just break it into pieces. Must be stored airtight.

edited to add: just checked recipe link above and it's very similar. In answer to your question, you don't need glucose to get clear. Plain melted sugar is clear.

Every time I melt sugar by itself, no water or glucose, it browns immediately. By the way, I think by adding an acid, lemon juice in this case, it makes the sugar invert, like glucose. (Or am I sinking in the deep end right now?)

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JAZ

JAZ

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I'm not familiar with a "Peanut Plank" but if it's anything like a Munch bar, maybe this information or this recipe will help.

I think corn syrup might help keep the syrup lighter -- the nut crunch recipe I have that calls for a comparatively large amount of corn syrup stays much lighter in color than other toffee recipes.

Janet A. Zimmerman, aka "JAZ"
Manager
jzimmerman@eGullet.org
eG Ethics signatory
Author, The Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook,  Instant Pot Obsession, and The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two

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thegreatdane

thegreatdane

Posted
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I'm not familiar with a "Peanut Plank" but if it's anything like a Munch bar, maybe this information or this recipe will help.

I think corn syrup might help keep the syrup lighter -- the nut crunch recipe I have that calls for a comparative large amount of corn syrup stays much lighter in color than other toffee recipes.

Thanks for the links. I've had the Munch bar and it's good but not what I'm looking for. I may try some corn syrup with sugar and see what happens.

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thegreatdane

thegreatdane

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I saw slabs of this peanut candy in the produce(?!!) section at the market today. Ingredients were listed as peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

I think that's it; sugar and corn syrup. I think the corn syrup keeps the sugar from crystallizing and possibly browning, too. We'll see.

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