English Toffee

You will need the following:

1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 cups (1 pound) butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups sugar
melted tempered chocolate for dipping
4-6 cups toasted almonds, finely chopped

Line a 10 x 15-inch baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil.  Use regular foil, if non-stick isn’t available.  Butter the foil.

Sprinkle 1 cups coarsely chopped almonds on buttered foil.

Set aside.

In a large HEAVY post melt butter and add remaining ingredients.

It was really hard for me to get great photo’s during the process of the toffee cooking.  I’m a one woman show and it was hard to snap a shot while stirring constantly.

Candy is just temperamental.  So don’t plan on leaving the toffee at all during this process.  Don’t answer your phone or your door.  Just pay attention to the toffee.

Place the mixture over medium-high heat.  Stir the mixture constantly.  It will be very hot.  Stir constantly and make sure you get around the edges as you stir.  You don’t want your toffee to burn.

Notice how the toffee has turned from bright yellow to a light tan.  At this point clip on a candy thermometer and DO NOT STIR any longer.  Turn the heat down SLIGHTLY not much and carefully watch and wait for the temperature to reach 290F (145C).

The color will have darkened.  The second the temp reaches 290F (145C) immediately remove from the heat and pour into the prepared baking sheet.

BE CAREFUL this stuff is HOT!!

I had a few air bubbles form because of the almonds.  I just poked them with a toothpick and they went away.

Let the mixture cool for exactly 12 minutes.

Use the foil to help lift toffee from the baking sheet and place onto a cutting board.  Take a knife and score the top of the toffee.  I made my squares 1 1/4 inch by 1 1/4 inch.

You don’t have to score the toffee at all.  You can just wait for it to cool and break it into random pieces.  That’s how I used to do it until my hair dresser told me how to score the toffee.  Fabulous tip!

When the toffee is cool enough to handle, you can just continue to cut through with a sharp knife.  I just broke the toffee along the score lines with my hands.

At this point I store the toffee in a tin lined with waxed paper.  I keep it in a cool place until I am ready to dip.  I have made the toffee as much as 3 weeks before dipping.

In a food processor add about 4-6 cups of toasted almonds.

Pulse until you get a fine texture.

Pour the nuts onto a baking sheet that has been lined with waxed paper.  This just makes clean up a bit easier.

Last year I finally broke down and purchased a used chocolate tempering machine.  I wish I would have bought this 35 years ago!!!

Dip each piece of toffee into the chocolate.

Place on the chopped nuts.

Gently cover completely with more chopped nuts.

Let the toffee sit covered in nuts until the chocolate is firm.  I make little mounds all around.  This is a great job for a child.  I used to let my kids stay home a day from school to help with chocolate dipping.  This was one of their jobs.  I’m a firm believer that school should not get in the way of an education.

Carefully place toffee on another baking sheet that has been lined with waxed paper.  I should mention that I chill my house to 60 degrees anytime I’m dipping chocolate.  It’s a perfect temperature for chocolate to set.  It’s pretty dang cold.  I generally wear a pair of wool socks and slippers so my feet stay warm.

Store toffee in a cool place.  I have a cold storage room in my basement that works perfectly.  I layer the all my candy in tins and waxed paper.  Works like a charm.

 

 

English Toffee
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 cups (1 pound) butter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups sugar
melted tempered chocolate for dipping
4-6 cups toasted almonds, finely chopped

Line a 10 x 15-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Butter the foil.  Spread with coarsely chopped nuts then set aside.  In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine butter, water corn syrup and sugar.  Place over high heat and stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken and turns to very light brown in color.  Reduce heat to medium-high and clip on a candy thermometer.  Cook until mixture reaches 290F (145C).  Remove from heat and carefully pour over chopped almonds in prepared baking sheet.
Let cool for exactly 12 minutes.  Lift toffee out onto a cutting board and score toffee to desired size and shape.  Let cool,  Break along score lines.  Cool completely.  Dip toffee into tempered chocolate then roll in chopped almonds.  Place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and cool until chocolate has hardened.  Store toffee in a cool location.  Can be made in advance and kept for at least 3 weeks.  makes about 4-5 pounds of toffee

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