Dark Chocolate Toffee

A Family Favorite

I love making toffee. For me, it was a good way to get into making candy — not quite as tricky as fudge, divinity, or peanut brittle.

More than that, I found myself highly motivated. I fell in love with the buttery toffee flavor, the crunchy yet tender texture, and the rich coating of chocolate and nuts. Fair warning: it’s hard to stop eating.

Friends and family always love it, too, whether we serve at a party of give it as the centerpiece in a plate of holiday cookies. When we put out a plate of homemade toffee for friends who haven’t tried it before, it’s always fun to hear the pause followed by, “Oh, wow! That’s delicious.”

In the weeks before Christmas, my son-in-law Max starts asking how soon I’m going to make toffee, and then he lobbies for putting crumbled bacon on top, which we actually did one year.

Taste Test Kitchen

Although almonds are the traditional choice, I usually like toffee with pecans. Either way, a nut grinder or mini food processor are ideal for getting the nuts ground fine.

Part of the fun is finding good chocolate for the topping. My favorite is always dark chocolate. Trader Joe’s carries a really big dark chocolate bar that I’ve had great success with — I can get a few batches from one bar.

While I always choose a dairy free dark chocolate bar, the toffee batter relies on butter. You can’t use margarine as a substitute. That’s the thing about making candy. There’s rarely a workaround for those of us with lactose intolerance or dairy allergy.

This year, though, I did some research and used a butter that’s made from milk of mostly A2 cows. If you’ve read up on A2 milk, this is milk from certain European cows that seems to be ok for some lactose intolerant people. Dairies in the U.S. are also raising these cows, so if you find A2 works for you, it seems the options are growing. There is no labeling for A2 butter or cheese, the way there is with milk, that I’ve seen yet, and the staff in the dairy section of the market haven’t been able to answer my questions. The solution is to research specific dairies online and find out which type of dairy cows they raise.

I found that the Irish import Kerrigold is mostly from A2 cows, and that’s what I used. There was no difference in the result. It turned out great.

Candy Making Traditions

Rebel and I had fun making toffee together. Candy making is a tradition that goes back generations in my family, and it always seems to be a great project to do together. We trade off stirring the sugar when our arms get tired, and we banter about the color of the batter and whether it’s done or not.

Toffee isn’t just for Christmas. Try making it instead of store bought treats, like for Valentine’s Day. Or, just because you have a chocolate craving.

Let us know how your toffee turns out, or if you have questions, in the comments below.

~ Lee

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Dark Chocolate Toffee

by Burnt Toast Food Blog January-18-2019

Homemade toffee is irresistible. So buttery and rich in chocolate and ground almonds or pecans. It’s always a big hit with friends and family – and hard to stop at just one piece. Great as a food gift. Lasts for a couple of weeks, so it’s easy to make ahead.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (not unsalted)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup ground or finely chopped pecans or almonds, divided
• 4.25 ounces dark or milk chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Read the full recipe and have all supplies and ingredients ready before beginning. Once you begin cooking the toffee batter, you must stay with the saucepan. 1. Prepare a 9 x 9 pan by spreading 1/2 cup of the ground nuts in a single layer over the bottom. Preferably use a Pyrex or heat-safe glass pan. Have your chopped chocolate and remaining nuts ready and set aside. 2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water, and vanilla. Heat on medium, letting the butter melt and sugar dissolve. Stir frequently, using a metal spoon, and keep the batter from sticking to the sides and bottom. 3. When the mixture comes to a boil, continue to stir constantly and slowly. The batter will change consistency, become thicker and bubbly. It may smoke, and this is ok. If it begins to separate, keep the temperature constant and add a pinch of salt. If it spatters, you can reduce the heat just a little. 4. The toffee is ready when its color reaches a deep, golden brown. (If you start to see dark streaks, it’s ready – remove immediately from the heat.) Pour the batter over the nuts in the pan. Don’t scrape burnt batter from the bottom. 5. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the hot batter. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and allow the chocolate to melt. With a small rubber spatula, gently spread the chocolate. Don’t force larger, unmelted pieces or you’ll put divots in the toffee. There’s plenty of time since the toffee will remain hot for a while. When fully spread with chocolate, sprinkle the top with the remaining nuts. 6. Let cool at room temperature several hours or overnight until the chocolate layer sets. Don’t place in the refrigerator. Break into pieces, about 2” each. Store in a sealed container for 1-2 weeks. Notes: - Don’t substitute margarine for the butter. - If you prefer to use unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt (at the beginning) or the batter will separate midway through the cooking and never set up the right way. - Save leftover toffee and nut crumbs to top ice cream.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins plus time to set up Yield: about 60 pieces