Buttery Cashew Brittle

1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3-quart saucepan. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to boiling; add butter and stir until butter is melted. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 280 degree F, the soft-crack stage (about 35 minutes).

2. Stir in cashews; continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until thermometer registers 300 degree F, the hard-crack stage (10 to 15 minutes more).

3. Remove pan from heat; remove thermometer. Quickly stir in the baking soda, mixing thoroughly. Pour mixture onto 2 buttered baking sheets or 2 buttered 15x10x1-inch pans.

4. As the cashew brittle cools, stretch it out by lifting and pulling with 2 forks from the edges. Loosen from pans as soon as possible; pick up sections and break them into bite-size pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes 2-1/2 pounds (72 servings).