English Toffee

Tomorrow I am going to buy a new laptop.  I have been on the verge of buying a new one for over a year.  My current laptop moves glacially.  Its operating system is so old it no longer recognizes my cell phone.  It's time.

I have done a little research, but I need to do more.  I like researching traveling destinations.  I browse pages and pages of recipes and dresses online, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about learning about computer stuff.  Luckily, my computer needs are pretty basic.  Most computers would fit my requirements.

I bought a candy thermometer to make this toffee.  I'm looking forward to making fudge and caramel with my new kitchen tool.  Toffee is made by caramelizing sugar and butter.  Some toffee is made with molasses instead of sugar, which sounds delicious.

It would seem that English toffee is an American thing, and it doesn't resemble any English confection.  Regardless, it's still delicious.

The origin of the word is unclear.  The Oxford English Dictionary claims the word was first used in 1825.  Honeycomb toffee is a bubble filled variation.  Baking soda and vinegar are added to honeycomb toffee to create bubbles which are captured in the thick, hot sugary mix.

  

This recipe came from allrecipes.com.  I used half the amount of sliced almonds.  I had a cup, but felt the chocolate was sufficiently covered nuts with just half of a cup.

The ingredients are 2 cups butter, 2 cups white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds.

I added the sugar, butter, and salt to a saucepan over medium-high heat.

I stirred until the butter had melted.  I brought the sugar mixture to a boil.  I stirred rarely until the temperature of the sugar and butter reached 285 degrees.  The sugar caramelized to a dark amber.

I poured the sugar over a baking sheet liked with parchment paper.  

I sprinkled the chocolate chips evenly over the toffee layer while the toffee was still hot.

I let the chocolate soften and melt before spreading it evenly over the caramelized sugar.

I sprinkled the sliced almonds over the melted chocolate.  I lightly pressed the nuts into the chocolate. 

 I let the toffee cool completely in the refrigerator.

Once it was completely cool, I broke it into chunks with my hands.

 This didn't disappoint.  English toffee is one of my favorite confections.

The bottom layer was caramelized and buttery.   It was rich, sweet, and crunchy.

The chocolate was smooth and creamy.  The nuts added an additional layer of crunch.  It was a toothsome and decadent treat.  I gave some of it away, but I would easily eat an entire batch.  It was a fantastic recipe.  It was easy and the results were amazing.