Recipes

[PA Mom-mom]

All these toffee offerings on the Gourmet Holiday shows got me to thinking. It shouldn't be that hard to make my own toffee. I found a few recipes on Allrecipes, but I would rather see if anyone on this Forum has a tried and true recipe. Homemade toffee sounds like a great Christmas gift for friends and family. Chocolate toffee would be even better! 

[Dragonflyveb]

Hi fellow toffee lover,

I found this recipe on Pinterest.

Made this last Christmas and it tasted like my mothers. My mother used Hershey bars, but I found chocolate chips are excellent as well. Use good quality chips like Ghirardelli or Guittard. They melt the best. Nestles chips must have some ingredient that prevents them from melting nicely.

Here's the site....www.makelifelovely.com/English-toffee-recipe

dang it...dunno how to replace the link....

I highly recommend a candy thermometer. Toffee goes from undercooked to burnt quickly! Amazon has good thermometers, but check the reviews for readability, etc.

Good luck! It is SO worth it!

Dragonfly

Edited to remove live link.

[PA Mom-mom]

@Dragonflyveb  Thanks for the recipe! I've saved it to my Toffee folder. It's funny, because your recipe calls for constant stirring until the toffee is done, while the Allrecipes recipe calls for stirring until it boils and then not stirring. That kind of scared me, because I could see it cooking over if not being stirred. Maybe I read it wrong. I'll try to remember to report back. Not making it in 95+ heat. Will start to practice in September or October.

[Dragonflyveb]

Yeah, it's like fudge or divinity recipes. Some call for constant stirring, some go by time, some go by temperature.

I've seen divinity recipes that boil the sugar solution for 2 minutes while the recipe I used boiled to a temperature which took waaaaay more than 2 minutes. Same ingredients, same quantities...go figure! I like using the candy thermometer. It feels more exact to me for some reason.

Dragonfly

[deepwaterdotter]

Here is the recipe I use:

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups chocolate chips

Line a half-sheet size rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

In heavy-bottom 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat stir butter, sugar, and salt until butter is melted.  Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot.

Bring to a steady boil over medium heat.  Stir occasionally, but do not scrape down sides of pot.  Turn heat down if boiling too fast to avoid burning.  Cook to 285-290 degrees on candy thermometer, about 20-25 minutes.

Pour into baking sheet, but don't scrape sides of pot.  Spread evenly with spatula.  Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let melt.  Spread evenly over toffee with spatula.

Let sit until hard enough to break into pieces.

[PA Mom-mom]

@deepwaterdotter  Thanks so much. Similar to the one offered by @Dragonflyveb , sans the nuts; so I'm seeing a consensus. That's reassuring. I've copied and pasted yours into my folder as well. Very excited!

[Alsace Gal]

@deepwaterdotter 

I've used the same recipe for decades. Except for the chips. I use Trader Joe's Belgium chocolate (large bars, giant) and break it up and put onto the hot toffee and spread. It's the milk chocolate bars not the dark. I find them in the frozen food aisle on a shelf.

I've always used equal parts brown sugar and unsalted butter.