12.16.2007

Chocolate Covered English Toffee







So I was craving toffee, and teaching myself the art of the candy thermometer, and decided to make this! I referenced this website and made my own adjustments:
http://candy.about.com/od/carameltoffee/r/englishtoffee.htm

• I toasted about a ¼ cup of almonds in my mini toaster for a couple minutes—until you hear them pop. After cooling, chop them up.
• Prepare your stuff, namely finding a big cookie sheet (the recipe says 12 x 16), covering it in tin foil and spraying/buttering it
• Then combine 2 cups butter, 2.6 cups white sugar, 1/3 cup water, and ¼ cup light corn syrup over medium heat in heavy saucepan with a candy thermometer. You need a heavy pan to evenly distribute the heat.
• Stir constantly and scrape the bottom of the pan. This prevents black crispy gook on the bottom. Eww!
• Watch the candy thermometer: when it hits soft crack stage ( ???) add a portion of the chopped almonds. Keep stirring and watching. When it registers 300 degrees (F) (hard crack stage), promptly take the pan off the heat.
• Pour (carefully!) into the pan (from above). You might need someone to help hold the pot while you scrape out the goop. Then spread the candy to fill the corners of your pan. (PS you don't want to spill this on your skin.... believe me)
• After it has set up a little bit, take a sharp paring knife and score lines—this makes it possible to cut straight lines after the toffee has set.
• Later, when your toffee is cool, gently melt some dark chocolate in a double boiler. Break the toffee apart along the scored lines with a knife. Dip the toffee pieces in the chocolate, I had to use a spatula to spread the chocolate around. Then dip the chocolate part in whatever you want (the remaining chopped almonds, cinnamon, finely ground espresso... all are quite delicious!)

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