Dear Sun Spots: I would like to know how to make peanut brittle. Can you and your readers please help me? – No Name, Durham.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, you and your family might like to try the following:

Peanut Brittle Ingredients: 1 cup corn syrup, 2 cups sugar, ½ cup water, 2 cups peanuts, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1½ tablespoon butter.

Method: Use a fairly heavy, 2½- to 3-quart saucepan. Stainless steel with a copper-clad bottom is ideal. Do not use an all-aluminum pan. You will likely get “hot spots,” which cause burning before you know it. Place corn syrup and water into the pan over medium-high heat. After it warms up, but before it begins to boil, stir in the sugar. Bring to full boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Insert candy thermometer after a few minutes. When the temperature reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit, add the peanuts and salt and stir. Bring the mixture back to a full boil. Now, in this phase, the correct amount of stirring is of critical importance. Constant stirring can prevent the browning that is required both for flavor and appearance. Under-stirring will cause peanuts on the bottom of the pan to burn, and may cause the syrup to burn at the sides of the pan. It takes practice to neither under-stir nor over-stir the candy as it cooks. Don’t let your fear of burning prevent you from browning. Without browning, your peanut brittle will be pale in color and lacking in toasty flavor.

When the temperature reaches 300 degrees, remove the pan from the heat immediately. You may do this at 290 degrees, if the desired level of brownness has been reached. Do not let it go above 300 degrees, or the finished product may develop a weak, spongy structure. Immediately after removing the pan from the heat, add the butter and vanilla extract, and stir carefully (it’s HOT) until the butter is melted. Sprinkle the baking soda over the surface of the mixture and stir. The mixture will begin to foam up and double in volume. Now you need a clean, smooth, flat surface to pour the mixture onto. A marble pastry board is ideal, as the marble allows the candy to cool slowly enough so you have time to stretch it before it hardens. You may use a large baking sheet, but you will have to work quickly because the candy will cool and harden rapidly. Prepare the surface ahead of time by coating it with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Immediately after stirring in the baking soda, pour the hot mixture onto the surface. Don’t try to spread the mixture too much with your wooden spoon. You will end up scraping the peanuts into one place. Instead, put on a pair of cotton gloves, and put a pair of plastic food handling gloves over the cotton gloves. Coat the plastic gloves with butter, paying special attention to the fingers. Now, use a spatula to loosen the candy from the cooling surface, then pick it up and flip it over. Keep in mind that the candy is still very hot and can melt the plastic gloves, so try to use a light touch and handle the candy by the outside edges, which cool more rapidly. Flipping reduces the surface contact and allows for easier stretching of the solidifying mass. Stretch until the candy becomes thin, but without too many holes. The edges may have to be broken to allow them to stretch to the desired thinness. Once stretched, leave the candy alone to cool, which will take a couple of hours. After cooling, the peanut brittle can be broken up by hand, or by whacking it with the handle of a butter knife (watch out for flying pieces). Store the peanut brittle in airtight containers. If you use plastic bags, you may want to double bag it. The candy can have some sharp edges that tend to poke through.

Dear Sun Spots: I have three big, old computers that I’d like to recycle. Can you please help? – No Name, No Town.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, try contacting “Computers for Schools and Libraries.” Contact the Maine Correctional Center, P.O. Box 260, South Windham, ME 04082-0260 (893-7000 and ask for Darrell Lee) for information and instructions regarding the donation of your old computer.

Dear Sun Spots: How do I write to Joseph Cross who stars as Charlie Frost on the movie Jack Frost? Thanks for the help. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Try contacting him through his fan club at: Joseph Cross, P.O. Box 450802, Kissimmee, FL 34745-0802.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to [email protected].