Peanut Brittle - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine
1 lb shelled unroasted peanuts (*I have used unsalted roasted peanuts and it works just fine.)

Preparation

Butter 2 baking sheets.
Keep warm.
Combine soda, 1 tsp water and vanilla.
Set aside.
Combine sugar, 1 cup water and the corn syrup in a large saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 240 degrees F on candy thermometer.
(soft ball stage) Stir in butter and peanuts.
Cook, stirring constantly to 300 degrees F.
(hard crack stage) Watch carefully so mixture does not burn.
Immediately remove from heat.
Stir in soda mixture completely.
(Mixture will foam up) Pour half the candy mixture onto each warm baking sheet and quickly spread as thin as possible with the back of a wooden spoon.
Cool.
Break candy into serving pieces.