🇰🇪 Kenyan · Desserts
🍬 Kenyan Peanut Brittle
Karanga Brittle
Kenyan Peanut Brittle — roasted Kenyan groundnuts cooked in a golden caramel until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, then poured thin and broken into shards. Addictive, affordable, and one of Kenya's most satisfying homemade sweets.
Peanut brittle is as simple as candy gets — roasted groundnuts set in a thin, glassy caramel that shatters when broken. The key is cooking the sugar to the correct temperature: the hard crack stage produces the thin, glassy brittle that is unmistakeable. Kenyan groundnuts, with their rich flavour, make this version particularly special.
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy saucepan, Candy thermometer or cold water test, Greased baking tray or silicone mat
- 2 cups roasted groundnuts (peanuts) — unsalted
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
- Grease a baking tray thoroughly. Have it close to the stove.
- Warm the groundnuts in the oven at 100°C while making the syrup — warm nuts mix better.
- Combine sugar, water, and honey in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 150°C (hard crack stage) — the syrup should be amber in colour.
- Remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir quickly.
- Add bicarbonate of soda — it will foam up. Stir once.
- Add the warm groundnuts. Stir vigorously to coat.
- Immediately pour onto the greased tray. Do not scrape the pan.
- Using two forks or the back of a spoon, stretch and spread the brittle as thin as possible.
- Allow to cool completely — about 20 minutes. Break into shards.
Chef Tips
- The bicarbonate of soda is the secret — it creates tiny air bubbles that give brittle its lighter, more delicate texture.
- Pour and spread immediately — once it starts to set, you cannot reshape it.
- Warm groundnuts mix more easily and do not cool the caramel too quickly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not reaching hard crack stage — sticky, chewy result instead of brittle.
- Not spreading quickly enough — thick, uneven brittle.
- Scraping the pan — recrystallised sugar creates grainy spots.
The Science
At 150°C (hard crack stage), the sugar solution has been concentrated to approximately 99% sugar with almost no water. When it cools, it sets into the glassy, brittle matrix of crystallised sugar. The bicarbonate of soda reacts with the acidic components to produce CO2 bubbles, aerating the candy.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Groundnuts provide protein and healthy fats.
- Best enjoyed as an occasional treat.
Cultural Note
Peanut brittle is a beloved homemade sweet across Kenya — made at home for celebrations, sold at market stalls, and given as gifts. Its simplicity and the quality of Kenyan groundnuts make it one of the most satisfying confections in the country.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Store in airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 2 weeks.
Reheating: Not applicable.
Serve with: Kenyan Masala Chai, As a standalone sweet, Crushed over ice cream