peanut brittle
Definition
Noun: A type of hard, crunchy candy made from caramelized sugar (or sometimes corn syrup) that has been cooked until brittle and into which peanuts have been embedded during the cooking process. It is typically broken into irregular pieces after it cools and hardens.
Usage
"Peanut brittle" is an uncountable noun referring to the food substance itself. You can refer to a piece, a batch, or a box of it. * She made homemade peanut brittle for the holidays. * Would you like a piece of peanut brittle? * This peanut brittle has a perfect snap.
Advanced Usage
- As a Modifier: The term can be used attributively to describe other items.
- He prefers a peanut brittle flavor over plain caramel.
- The gift basket included a peanut brittle assortment.
Variants and Related Words
- Brittle (noun): The general category of hard, flat candy made of caramelized sugar and nuts, which can be made with other nuts like almonds (almond brittle) or pecans (pecan brittle).
- Toffee (noun): A similar confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses with butter. Toffee is often chewier or softer than brittle, which is characteristically hard and "brittle."
- Praline (noun): A confection made of nuts (often pecans or almonds) and sugar syrup, which can be hard or have a creamy, paste-like consistency, differing from the thin, sheet-like form of brittle.
Synonyms
- Nut brittle
- (There is no direct single-word synonym; it is a specific type of confection.)
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Homemade peanut brittle: Emphasizes that it was made in a home kitchen, not bought commercially.
- Old-fashioned peanut brittle: Suggests a traditional recipe or method of preparation.
Noun
-
brittle containing peanuts
