toffee break. [homemade english toffee]
I’m still in shock Christmas is this week. Where has the time gone?! One thing I absolutely recommend making before the holiday weekend is this homemade English toffee. My mom has been making this recipe for years and it’s everything you’d want in a toffee – it’s sweet, it’s crunchy and it’s decadent. Although a laborious task, making the toffee is a fun group activity and so worth the time and effort in the end. It makes for a great gift, too!
homemade english toffee
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15-20
Recipe makes two cookie sheets worth of english toffee. Cut recipe in half if making for less people.
Ingredients
- 4 packages (8 oz. each) Trader Joe's dry toasted slivered almonds
- 2 Trader Joe's Pound Plus Milk Chocolate bars (17.6 oz. each)
- 9 Hershey's chocolate bars (approx. 4.4 oz. each), frozen, very finely chopped
- 3 lbs. (12 sticks) salted butter
- 6 cups sugar
Instructions
- In a large processor, pulse the slivered almonds until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add chopped almonds and cook until lightly toasted, roughly 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Prepare two 15"x10" baking sheets with a layer of half of the chopped toasted almonds, followed by a layer of half of the grated chocolate.
- In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat, then add sugar and cook, stirring constantly, to 312 degrees (just beyond hard crack), which will take up to 25-30 minutes. Make sure to use a sturdy and easily readable thermometer, and preferably one that attaches to the side of the pan. If desired, begin water tests around 300 degrees, as thermometers can vary.
- Quickly spread candy over almonds and chocolate on prepared baking sheets, then immediately layer with remaining halves of chocolate and almonds.
- Cool in the refrigerator overnight on baking sheets before breaking into pieces.