December 3, 2022

English Toffee

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English toffee is a rich, buttery confection enjoyed for generations. Made from a simple combination of butter, sugar, and your of nuts. This classic treat is cooked to a crisp, caramelized perfection. The mixture is heated to the hard crack stage, typically around 300°F (150°C), resulting in a firm yet delicate texture that melts in your mouth. However, instead of using a candy thermometer, which is difficult to do while you are constantly stirring, we will use an open jar of peanut butter and stop when the candy is the same color as the peanut butter. How cool is that!

This beloved candy is often associated with the holiday season, frequently gifted in decorative tins or used as a topping for ice cream and baked goods. Making homemade English toffee requires careful attention to temperature and stirring to prevent separation, but the end result is a decadent, buttery-sweet confection with a satisfying crunch. Whether enjoyed on its own or incorporated into desserts, English toffee remains a timeless favorite for those who love the combination of caramelized sugar, butter, and chocolate.

English Toffee

This beloved candy is often associated with the holiday season, frequently gifted in decorative tins or used as a topping for ice cream and baked goods

Print Recipe

Course Candy

Cuisine English

Equipment

1- 13 x 17 x 1/2" cookie sheet pan with sides, lightly buttered.
1- 6 Quart or 8 Quart tall stock pot
1- Pizza Cutter to score the toffee
1- offset spatula
1- flat edge wooden spoon used for stirring to the toffee
1- sheet of wax or parchment paper used for pressing nuts into the chocolate on the toffee
1- set of extra hands if available stirring is tiresome

Ingredients

5 sticks SALTED butter must use salted butter. Please see Note at bottom of recipe
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 2 ¼ -ounce packages sliced almonds (total of 6-3/4 ounces)or 6-3/4 ounces pecans
2 cups chopped pecans for top
12 ounces of Ghirardelli semi-sweet 60% or milk chocolate chips for top

1 jar of peanut butter (Not used in the candy. It is used to determine when the candy reaches the correct temperature.

Instructions

(Before you start recipe, have all your ingredients measured, chocolate open,pecans chopped, pizza cutter ready, spreader ready, cookie sheet buttered lightly and jar of peanut butter out to check for color!!!)
Place butter into a tall pot with the sugar and sliced almonds or pecans. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While constantly stirring, bring mixture to a peanut butter color. Takes me about 13-16 minutes. It will definitely vary.
Pour mixture onto a 13” X 17-1/2”cookie sheet with sides and quickly spread the mixture. Working quickly, place chocolate on top of mixture and when soft, start spreading chocolate over mixture. Add chopped pecans and press into chocolate somewhat using wax paper or parchment paper. Score immediately with pizza cutter into squares. Refrigerate just until chocolate is set. Break it into smaller pieces when set. ( Do NOT store it in the refrigerator after the candy sets and is broken into pieces.)

Video

Notes

Use the best grade of butter you can buy. We use Falfurrias Butter, if you can get it, otherwise just use a high grade of butter. You MUST USE SALTED BUTTER or your toffee will fail. I have used many brands of butter. I seem to always have issues with store brands. I think it’s the moisture content in the butter that makes the difference.

Other key points are – DO NOT STOP STIRRING and DO NOT CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE.

Also use higher grade chocolate like Ghirardelli. Have your jar of peanut butter at the stove and open.

Also have all of your tools, pans, and pizza cutter, ready to use. When the Toffee is ready, you have to work quickly.

Keyword Candy, English Toffee, Gift Ideas

For more candy recipes click on Pinterest.

For more of my Cookie Candy type recipes follow this link: https://darlenestable.com/category/candy-cookies/