Molasses Walnut Brittle

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or other nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Coat the back of a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the butter; set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, the water, molasses, and corn syrup in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat, and cook without stirring until the mixture registers 268F on a sugar thermometer (about 10 minutes).
3. Brush down the sides of the pan two times with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the salt, and walnuts, and cook the mixture until it registers 300F on a sugar thermometer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and with a long-handled wooden spoon rapidly stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
6. Be careful; the mixture will bubble and foam.
7. Immediately turn the mixture onto the buttered baking sheet and spread out thin with the wooden spoon.
8. Let the brittle cool for 5 minutes, then loosen it from the pan with a flexible-blade spatula.
9. Butter your fingertips with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stretch the brittle as thin as possible.
10. Let it cool completely (about 30 minutes), then break it into pieces with your hands.
11. In a tightly covered container, the brittle will keep for 1 week at room temperature.

unsalted butter, sugar, water, molasses, light corn syrup, salt, walnuts, baking soda, vanilla

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/molasses-walnut-brittle-393533 (may not work)