Question:
Is there a sugarless recipe for my favorite candy?

My favorite candy is the Planter's Peanut (brittle?). It's simular to peanut brittle however this one has almost all nuts with what I assume is toffee. (And there really is'nt alot of that. Just enough to hold the peanuts together). I was in a dollar store yesterday and bought a generic brand of this candy. Now I try hard to stay away from sugar and usually do pretty good. But I have'nt been able to eat peanuts without suffering for over 15 years. They gave me terrible stomach acid. But since my Open RNY (May 8th) I can eat all the peanuts I want with no problems. :) Anyway, I sweeten my foods with Splenda and surely there must be some recipes to make something that tastes just like Planters Peanut candy with NO sugar. I can eat this candy with no dumping, and that scares me. Especially since I've been good not to eat sugar most of the time. Anyway, does anyone know how I can make this? I never could have imagined that the bypass would give me back the ability to eat peanuts. I'm also assuming that they would be a good source of protein? Thanks.    — Danmark (posted on December 1, 2001)

December 1, 2001
have you tried cookbooks by JoAnna Lund? I have a couple of them--her recipes are sugar free, low fat etc--they are available thru QVC and are available in bookstores--I have tried a couple of her pies and they are really delicious--all her recipes have nutritional content listed so you can check for carbs, sugars, etc---
   — Linda L.

December 1, 2001
Hi, I go to Allrecipes.com I search for what I'm looking for,get the recipe, and then just substitute the sugar with Splenda. I know they have recipes for Peanut Brittle, and a million more. You can even put in the words sugar free candy or any type of treat for that matter, and it will bring up all the sugar free recipes. I love the site! Hope this helps!
   — Carey N.

December 1, 2001
I wanted to make a correction on the Allrecipes.com search for sugar free candy. All you need to enter is sugar free, and every recipe that they have without sugar will come up. If you put in sugar free candy, nothing comes up. I forgot everything is categorized, by specific name, not just "candy". Sorry :)
   — Carey N.

December 1, 2001
I'd say if you're not going to overinduldge, and just eat a bite or 2 every once in a while, just eat the real thing.
   — Cindee A.

December 1, 2001
I use Sugar Slim in all my original recipes. It comes brown or granulated and does everythign sugar does, EXCEPT rise yeast. If you want to make a sweet bread, you still need a dab of sugar to activate the yeast, but then you'd use the SS for the balance of the sugar. Also, in your drug stores, you might find a s/f peanut brittle, back in the s/f candy area. It was, ok, but nothing to make me go back to buy more.
   — vitalady

December 1, 2001
Dont try to make candy with Splenda... nothing in this world caramelizes like real sugar. Splenda is fantastic sweetening things such as custards, puddings, drinks, fruit sauces... things that are wet based. Anything like a banana bread or a cake needs further adjustment because in a cake the sugar provides a framework or base that Splenda cannot duplicate. I am writing a cookbook and have been experimenting with Splenda for weeks. As far as creating a substitute for your peanut brittle... I made a pecan recipe for Thanksgiving that was quite a hit with the no ops and really satisfied my craving for candy. I take a tablespoon of butter, melt it in a non stick stir fry pan... toss 6 cups of pecans (Costco) until lighly coated. Add 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and toss in order to lightly coat all of the pecans. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and chipotle chile powder or cayenne to taste and toss. Once the mixture is well distributed... turn it onto a foil lined cookie sheet separating the nuts into a single layer as much as possible and bake in a 350 degree oven until the nuts are crisp and browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Break apart the nuts as the maple caramelizes into a thin shell and store in a zip lock baggie. These nuts are sweet and spicy and are great for a holiday party. I have made them with walnuts, pecans and almonds... peanuts would be great! I know this isnt exactly what you are looking for Daniel, but a few of these may satisfy your peanut jones.
   — SusanMaria

December 1, 2001
I love peanuts. I don't have an answer to the brittle issue but unfortunate news on the nutrional content of peanuts and all yummy nuts in general. While being high in protein, peanuts are extremely high in fat content. 1 oz. Planter's dry roasted contains: 12 grams fat, 7 grams protein, and 150 calories. By my rough math, that means that close to 70% of calories are derived from fat. This is more fat than in a whole low-fat frozen pizza (almost 2 pizzas). I won't lie and say I never eat them or occaisionally stick my finger in the peanut butter (I am human) but this sort of thing seems to be a poor food choice. Please don't think that I am being in anyway judgemental, I'm just passing on the info. There is a great book listing nutritional values for almost any food you can imagine, including many fast food chains, called "The Complete Book of Food Counts" by Corinne T. Netzer. You can get it at any large book store (I found it at Books a Million). It has really opened my eyes about what I'm eating. (Lap RNY 6/26/01 down 125 lbs.)
   — Jonathan M.

December 1, 2001
Theres a excellent sugar free chocloate available in dark, milk, and other forms sweetned with splanda. Carbolite by Morico foods. You could melt this into peanuts, which are a great protein source.
   — bob-haller