This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Hello there.
How are things?
Sure wish you talked louder.
I can barely hear you, ya know.
Are you enjoying the holiday season…
and have you seen the funny Christmas Commercials from Target?
You know, with the hilarious blond lady all dressed up in Christmas red, sporting a gigantic strand of pearls.
The girl cracks me up.
Just take a look!
Try to remember to come back so we can chat about toffee.
I’ve been chuckling about the funny Target lady all week.
“Rum tummy tummy…Ho Ho Ho”
Who thinks this kind of stuff up?
They deserve a pat on the back and a thumbs up,
if you know what I mean.
Love a little bit of hardy-har-har this time of year.
Thought you might like to see it too, if you hadn’t already. Also, wanted to let you know that I am guest posting today over at
Adventures in Mommyland, if you would like to hop over.
Adventures in Mommyland, if you would like to hop over.
Let’s talk English Toffee shall we?
This English Toffee recipe comes from our Aunt Delsa. It’s the best toffee recipe I have ever tried. (And I’ve tried a bunch)
The texture is perfect, and the flavor divine.
Don’t be nervous about making toffee.
I’ll walk you through it, alright?
Let’s do it.
Don’t be nervous about making toffee.
I’ll walk you through it, alright?
Let’s do it.
English Toffee
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: one large jelly roll pan full
Recipe from the lovely Desla Feil
2 C butter (I use salted)
2 C sugar
3 T corn syrup
6 T hot water
1/2 C sliced almonds (optional, but wonderful)
2 C chocolate chips (semi or milk…whatever you prefer)
*Tempered chocolate works as well, but is more expensive and hard to come by.
1/2 t shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
1/2 C finely chopped nuts (I like pecans or almonds best)
1. Place the butter in a large heavy pot. Turn the heat to medium high.
2. Once the butter is almost melted add the sugar and stir it well to incorporate.
3. Keep stirring. When the mixture has come to a boil add the corn syrup and stir it well.
4. Add the water a few tablespoon or two at a time, in different spots of the pan. (For some reason I couldn’t get a good picture while I was trying to stir, drip the hot water into the pot and and hold the camera. Picture the water being added in your minds eye, will ya? Thanks for your participation. You are such a kind reader.)
5. Keep stirring and add the the almonds.
6. Now it’s just you, the wooden spoon and the candy, my friend. Stir it and stir it and stir it over medium heat. You want to continue cooking it until it until it reaches 275-280 degrees. This should only take about 8-10 minutes. It will start to become kind of frothy and light brown in color. If you are worried about your candy thermometer showing inaccurate numbers try this easy test.
SIMPLE TEST: Dip a spoon into the candy. Run cold tap water over the top of it. If the candy turns hard and brittle…it’s done. It’s as simple as that.
7. Remove it from the heat and pour it into a large jelly roll pan. My pan is 11 1/2 by 16 inches. Let it cool completely. Overnight is best.
8. Pour the chocolate chips into a medium sized bowl and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and return to the microwave to heat for another 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
9. Add the shortening and allow it to sit in the chocolate for about 30 seconds. Then stir it around until it melts completely.
10. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled candy.
11. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts.
12. Allow the chocolate to cool and set up completely. Then break it into pieces. Store in an air tight container for up to three weeks.
For a complete list of Holiday Treats
click HERE.
I made this over the weekend and it turned out perfectly. I shared some with friends and neighbors and they loved it too. That was my first attempt and I was so glad it was a success. Thanks for the recipe.
OMG! You are my new best friend for sharing this recipe! We LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I must confess, though, that I misread one teeny tiny instruction. Instead of using 1/2 tsp shortening with the melted chocolate, I used 1/2 cup. (Time for new eyeglasses.) Although the chocolate topping didn't harden up quite the way it should have, it came close (a little time in the refrigerator remedied the situation). And it certainly didn't hurt the wonderful taste. If I keel over from a heart attack tonight, that's alright because this toffee was oh, so worth it! I'd want to be buried with this toffee, though.
I find that putting chocolate chips directly on top of the toffee immediately after its poured is an easier way to get the chocolate topping. The chips melt and are easily spread. Top with nuts and cool.
Hey: I am a self-proclaimed English toffee dropout! I have tried twice now to make these suckers and I always end up with a layer of fat (looks like overly melted butter, kind of separated) on top of the candy part once the toffee has cooled. What causes that? Perhaps if I knew I could stop making that happen. 🙂 I haven’t followed your instructions yet–I’m still at work!–but hopefully they will help. But, if you have any advice to give before I start out I would totally appreciate it.
I started out looking at this recipe last week but only got as far as the Target lady and had to follow the link. I ended up laughing with my kids looking between me and the computer going, “What? Why is that funny? What are you laughing about?” If you have to be old, and perhaps a woman, to enjoy those commercials, then I am grateful to be an old woman! AWESOME! I totally “get” your sense of humor! 7 months now and I am still loving your blog! Keep it up. 🙂
Hi Becky,
I had forgotten that I added a link to the funny Target lady when I posted this recipe last year. Thanks for the reminder! Love that funny gal, puts a smile on my face every year. Gald you enjoyed it. 🙂
As for your toffee making, I myself have ruined several batches. It just takes a litte bit of practice and the right recipes. Follow the instructions and you will be good to go. As for the toffee separating, be carefull about getting any water into the pot (like if you dip a spoon in to the candy, taste it and then put the spoon back in…or if your stirring utensil has water on it). Sometimes this can make the candy separate.
Good luck! Crossing my fingers it turns out well for you this time around. 🙂
~Jamie
Looks great…little more intense than mine which comes out the same… 1lb of butter 4 cups of sugar..heat to hard crack on candy therm..or do the water test which i have done for years…pour into lightly buttered cookie sheet let set about 2 minutes pour the chocolate chips on top let set about 30 seconds to a minute run the back of a spoon over it and spread the chips they will be melted and spreads like butter..sprinkle with chopped nuts (your choice) .. put in the fridge till completely set and crack into pieces…Yummy
I tried it tonight and….SUCCESS!!! Maybe it was the water. Either way, I now have a luscious holiday treat to share with the neighbors. Now, on to the peppermint cupcakes… 🙂 Thanks for the tips and a yummy recipe. Keep up the great work! Your new friend, Becky.
Becky,
Woo Hoo! So glad it worked out for you!!!!!!! Hope you love the cupcakes as well. 🙂
Happy Holidays,
~Jamie
Hi Jamie,
today was my first attempt at toffee and I made your recipe. LOVE IT! I have one question, though. When I was breaking up the finished product, I had trouble with the chocolate coming off the toffee. Any idea why or what I can do to prevent this on the next batch? Not really a problem since ny husband gladly volunteered to eat the “Imperfect” ones, but I would like to avoid this on toffee I use as gifts. I used Ghiradeli semi-sweet chips, btw. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
Hey Darlyne,
Next time, if there is a greasy layer on top of the toffee, try to dab some of it off before adding the chocolate. Another option is breaking the toffee pieces apart before you add the chocolate and then dipping the pieces in the chocolate as opposed to pouring the melted chocolate over the top of the toffee. Good luck!
~Jamie
Hi, I have enjoyed many of your recipes and tried the toffee one. When it is done ‘perfectly’ is it a bit sticky on the teeth? The other recipes I looked at cooked to 300 degree; whereas yours is to 280 – which I did. Should I cook it a bit longer if I want to avoid any sticky, or is that just how toffee is.
I did dry roast the almonds and that is the bomb! It brings out the flavor.
Thanks for your time and recipes for us to try.
Hi Carrie,
It shouldn’t be sticky on the teeth. I would suggest cooking it a bit longer next time. Good luck!
~Jamie
OMGoodness…Jamie. This turned out beautifully and I’m so so glad I tried it. 10 mins was just right. I did do what another person suggested, though, because just after I poured the toffee into the pan, I noticed a light butter layer on top, so I thought I would try to melt the choco chips right on that–made sense to me that the butter layer would absorb into the chips, thus leaving it shiny and smooth ! Perfection !! Thanks–and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and everyone !