Auntie Sandy's English Toffee

Auntie Sandy's English Toffee

This fabulous recipe was given to me by my Auntie Sandy. She gives this toffee every year as Christmas gifts for friends and family and we all greatly look forward to receiving it. I copied her tradition one year when we stayed in Hawaii for Christmas and were away from our California family. I was desperately missing the Toffee. In addition to giving this as a gift, I put some in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon and used then as each guest placecard at a Christmas Eve dinner I hosted.

Make enough for 4-6 gifts

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1½ cups almonds, divided (one coarsely chopped and one finely chopped

16 ounces milk chocolate chips, divided (you may substitute semi-sweet depending on your taste

1. Toast all of the almonds. Divide them into separate bowls. In a food processor, chop one batch coarsely and one batch finely. Set aside.

2. Grease a 13 x 9 pan thoroughly with butter.

3. Put 8 ounces (½ bag or 11/3 cups) of milk chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. But remaining 8 ounces in another bowl. Set aside. Put a pastry brush in a cup of cold water. You will be using this later to brush down the sides of the pan to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.

4. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted add sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the end is submerged but not touching the very bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and continue to cook and stir the mixture until it begins to boil. Wash down the sides of the pan with the water dipped pastry brush. Turn heat to medium and cook without stirring until it reaches the hard crack stage (300º). This may seem like it is taking awhile, but once the temperature starts to rise it goes to 300º very quickly, so keep an eye on it.

5. When it reaches 300º, quickly stir in the coarsely chopped almonds. Spread the mixture quickly into the well-greased 13 x 9 metal pan. (DO NOT SCRAPE THE SIDES OF THE SAUCEPAN TO GET EVERY PIECE OUT, THE MAJORITY OF THE MIXTURE WILL BE TOGETHER IN ONE LUMP). Spread evenly in pan.

6. While the mixture is still hot, sprinkle half of the chocolate chips over the candy. When the chocolate chips have softened, spread them evenly into a thin layer and then immediately spread ½ the finely ground almond mixture over it. Chill thoroughly.

7. When the candy has cooled and hardened, invert it onto a piece of wax paper or a cookie sheet. Melt the remaining 8 ounces of milk chocolate in the microwave (cook on high for 1 minute, stir and keep cooking at 10 second intervals and stirring until chocolate is melted). Spread melted chocolate over the cold candy and sprinkle remaining finely ground almonds over chocolate. Chill

8. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Maili Halme Brocke, December 19, 1993