Lucas Candies

How an Iconic New York Sweet Shop Makes Beer Brittle | Eater

"Run by Deb Bertrand and Nick Loucas, this iconic Haverstraw sweet shop makes chocolates, candy canes and a signature beer brittle — a twist on old-fashioned peanut brittle that swaps water for a chocolate-and-peanut-butter porter. Using a recipe handed down from Loucas’s great uncle, they start by dissolving sugar and solid corn syrup over heat, add the porter, then stir in raw Spanish peanuts so they roast in the sugar and deepen the flavor; constant stirring prevents burning. After removing the mixture from heat they fold in butter solids, baking soda and salt to reduce moisture and maximize crispness, pour the mix thin to dry quickly, and break it up with a “brittle hammer.” The owners, both craft-beer enthusiasts, enjoy surprising customers with the novel beer brittle and take pride in watching people try it for the first time." - Avery Dalal