Easy Toffee Recipe
This homemade toffee recipe combines rich, buttery crunch with a layer of chocolate for a sweet treat that’s hard to resist. Make a batch for holiday gifts, Christmas cookie trays, or a homemade candy worth keeping all to yourself!
Servings: 40 servings
Calories: 290kcal
Cost: $20
Recipe Link
Equipment
- Square Candy Boxes , for gifting
- Free Christmas Toffee Label Printable , for gifting
- Free Regular Toffee Label Printable , for gifting
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole almonds
- 3 cups salted butter*
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 18 oz high-quality chocolate chips (Guittard/Ghirardelli)
- Flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Toast Nuts: Add whole nuts to a sheet pan, spreading into an even layer, and toast at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and toasted. Allow to cool.2 cups whole almonds
- Chop Nuts: Add nuts to a food processor (or chop by hand) and chop into really small pieces. I like them in very fine crumbs, but not so chopped that you start to form almond butter! Set aside.
- Prep Pan: Line a baker's half-sheet pan (18x13-inch) with parchment paper and spread 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts evenly over the bottom.
- Cook Toffee: In a 4- or 5-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan add butter, sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir slowly and constantly in a figure-eight pattern. Do not scrape sugar crystals from the pan sides. (Stirring vigorously and scraping sugar crystals from the sides of the pot can both lead to the butter separating).3 cups salted butter*, 3 cups granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup, 3 Tablespoons water
- Hard Crack Stage: Continue cooking, stirring in a slow figure-8 motion, until the mixture reaches 300°F (hard crack stage) and is a deep golden amber color (about 12-18 minutes). If cooking at high altitude, subtract 2°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation.
- No thermometer? I prefer to test the toffee with an ice water test instead of using a thermometer. Drop a small spoonful of hot toffee into a glass filled with ice water. Use your fingers to press it together into a ball--it should feel hard and snap easily. If it feels soft and you can bend it without it breaking, continue cooking.
- How to Fix Separated Toffee: If the butter appears to separate while cooking the toffee, lower the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of very hot water (or a little more if needed) until the toffee comes back together. Be patient and whisk in a figure-eight motion.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour Over Nuts: Immediately pour the hot toffee evenly over the prepared pan with the nuts. Immediately sprinkle chocolate evenly all over the top. Gently tent with foil and let it rest for 2-3 minutes, until chocolate has softened. Then spread chocolate into an even layer.18 oz high-quality chocolate chips (Guittard/Ghirardelli)
- Top With Almonds: Sprinkle remaining chopped almonds over the melted chocolate, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.Flaky sea salt
- Cool: Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then refrigerate until completely hardened, before breaking into pieces.
- Store homemade toffee in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Or freeze toffee in an airtight freezer-safe container for several months.
Video
Notes
Yield: Approximately 4 1/2 lbs toffee. Serving Size: About 2 ounces.
Butter: If using unsalted butter, add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt.
Chocolate: Or use 2 cups chopped high-quality chocolate bars.
Nuts: I prefer almonds but you could also use pecans.
Stirring: Stir slowly and constantly in a figure-eight pattern; never scrape sugar crystals from the pan sides.
How to Fix Separated Toffee: If the butter appears to separate while cooking the toffee, lower the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of very hot water (or a little more if needed) until the toffee comes back together. Be patient and whisk in a figure-eight motion.
High Altitude: Toffee will probably cook faster. I rely on the ice water test method rather than a thermometer, but if using a thermometer, subtract 2°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation from the target temperature.
Gifting Toffee: I use these white candy boxes and a homemade label (choose from regular or Christmas themed). Print the labels on this square label paper.
Nutrition
Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 426IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.3mg
