Holiday treat

Big Hunk is not really a candy I would pick out if I was shopping for a treat, it's alright, I just like other candy better.

Except at Christmas time I always make homemade Big Hunk, which is SOOOOO much better than the store bought kind. For those of you who have had Big Hunk and know that alot of times it can be kindof hard, well, homemade kind is soft and delish.
And it looks cuter too, especially when you use the Black Apple's cute gift tags.
My husband is taking these to his co-worker's at work tommorrow, his list keeps getting larger each year, I had to make up 14 packages for him, they better love it cause it takes forever to cut and wrap the 100 pieces of candy the recipe makes, and because it's hard to share this, I could make myself sick eating all of it, it is that good:)

You know you want to try it for yourself, so here is the recipe:

Homemade Big Hunk
1 larger bottle Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts (I prefer the "lightly salted")
3 smaller jars of Kraft Marshmallow Cream
2 1/4 cups light corn syrup
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbls. butter, melted
scant 1/4 tsp. salt

Butter a large restaurant style cookie sheet. Sprinkle the peanuts equally scattered on the cookie sheet. Place the Marshmallow cream in a large bowl, set aside. In a large saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar. Place over high heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture comes to a boil. If sugar crystals are present, wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush. Clip on candy thermometer. Cook to 280 degrees F, or soft crack stage. Remove from heat and let stand 2 minutes undisturbed. Without scraping, pour entire batch into marshmallow cream and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add butter, vanilla, and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon until butter is incorporated. Pour into prepared pan, evenly distribute across the top of the peanuts. Allow to stand at room temperature until firm, about 3 hours. Cut and wrap in wax paper. (I usually cut about 3/4 inch wide x 1 inch long. Makes about 100 pieces.)