English Toffee

Classic English Toffee! Sweet, buttery and crunchy with a layer of rich chocolate and sprinkled with chopped toasted almonds. This sweet, decadent confection is easy to make and could become one of your holiday traditions.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: pounds

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 cup whole almonds
16 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate
1 pound butter
2-2/3 cups 530 grams granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F
Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet in an even layer and roast them for 8-10 minutes, stirring the nuts half way through the cooking time. As soon as you begin to smell the nuts, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
Place the cooled nuts into a food processor and pulse them until they are finely chopped. A sharp knife can also be used.
Chop the chocolate either by hand or in the food processor and set it aside.
Coat a 12x16x1-inch baking sheet with non-stick oil spray and line it with parchment paper or foil. Leave enough overhanging to use as a handle to lift the finished toffee. Coat parchment/foil with non-stick oil spray.

Cook the Toffee:

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter, sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Stir constantly as the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 300°F to 310°F (hard crack stage). Be patient and do not wander off from the stove. As the temperature climbs past 280°F keep a close eye on it as the temperature will increase quickly.
Once the toffee has reached 300°F, remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 30 seconds to settle the bubbling then stir in the vanilla.
Pour the toffee into the prepared baking sheet and spread to an even thickness with an off-set spatula.

Add the Chocolate and Nut Layers:

Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the hot toffee and let it melt about 3 to 5 minutes.
Once the chocolate has melted, spread it evenly over the top of the toffee using the off-set spatula .
While the chocolate is still warm and soft, sprinkle the surface with the chopped nuts and gently press them into the chocolate. Allow the toffee to cool completely 6-8 hours, preferably overnight, then break the toffee into pieces by using the tip of a sharp knife.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Make sure the saucepan is large enough that the sugar mixture doesn't boil over. Don't use a saucepan smaller than 3 quarts.
Set a timer and watch the nuts carefully.... stir them at least once as they cook as they will quickly turn from perfect to burned. When you can smell their fragrance, remove them from the oven.

Chocolate chips can be used, chopping them will help them melt faster.

Weigh the ingredients on a kitchen scale, it will give more accurate measurements.

Use real butter!
Clip a candy thermometer to the pan for accurate temperature.
Keep the heat on medium until it reaches 300°F.
When the thermometer reaches 275°F the color of the toffee will begin to darken and thicken.
Break up the cooled toffee with the tip of a knife using a stabbing motion rather than slicing/cutting it into pieces.