Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy

Ingredients

• 6 cups white sugar, divided
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.5 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds pecan halves or pieces

Steps

1. Grease a 9×13-inch dish and a medium heavy saucepan with butter.
2. Mix 4 cups sugar with the cream in the buttered saucepan and leave it aside.
3. Put the remaining 2 cups sugar in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously as it cooks, until it starts melting.
4. Warm the saucepan of sugar and cream over low heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Keep cooking and stirring the sugar in the skillet until fully melted and light brown. Add it to the lightly simmering cream very slowly in a thin stream, stirring constantly. This can take about 5 minutes; it works best when someone pours the melted sugar very slowly.
6. Heat without stirring to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a little syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Take off the heat and stir in the baking soda; the mixture will foam. Drop in the butter and leave undisturbed, without stirring, for 30 minutes.
7. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the vanilla, then stir vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is no longer glossy. Fold in the pecans and quickly transfer the candy to the prepared dish. Cool until just warm, then cut into 1-inch pieces.