Easy Nutty Toffee

Easy Nutty Toffee

My cousin Ann Baker shared this "Tried and True" recipe. 

Ingredients:

Melt 6 T butter in large skillet.
Add 2 C sugar
2/3 C water  

5 cups nuts, any kind or mixture

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Directions:

Cook over medium heat about 5 mins stirring often. 

Add 5 cups nuts - unsalted but any kind. Can be all cashews. I added peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts and pecans. In second batch I added 1/2 cup dried cranberries. 

Continue to stir until mixture darkens and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 15 or more minutes.
Remove from heat and quickly stir in 

2 teaspoon nutmeg, 

2 teaspoon cinnamon  

1 or more tablespoon sea salt.
Quickly pour into greased cookie sheet, thinning out layer with wooden spoon. 

Allow to dry several hours. Makes about 8 cups.

Liddabit Sweets Tropical Toffee

This recipe was shared in the Seattle Times magazine "Pacific NW".  Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook is the name of the newest cookbook of Liz Gutman and Jen King and the source of this recipe.

Liddabit Sweets Tropical Toffee

Makes about 3 pounds

1 pound unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the baking sheet

4 cups sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

½ cup light rum

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ cups roasted, salted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped or crushed

1. Generously butter a large (13 x18-inch) rimmed baking sheet and set it aside on a heatproof surface.

2. Combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup, rum, vanilla and sea salt in a medium-size (4-quart) saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly with a spatula until the mixture reaches 300 degrees (hard-crack stage) and turns a light golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).

4. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the baking soda and macadamia nuts, stirring vigorously (but carefully) to incorporate.

5. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly with a heatproof spatula. Allow to cool completely, about 2 hours, then break into bite-size pieces.

Store the toffee, layered with parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks (bring to room temperature before serving).

Grandma Receives A Lesson

Anna Olivia Charlotte

Laura

Grandma Receives A Lesson

Christmas vacation from school was a perfect time for the blogger to receive a lesson from the real experts. The granddaughters were excited to be featured on the blog. I took a lesson from the girls making toffee. Each made an honorable contribution. When it was finished, I mean gone, the girls agreed it was wonderful!

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Anne's Toffee

1 cup butter

1 cups sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 pound chocolate, melted

4 cups chopped almonds

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Using a candy thermometer, cook to 290 stirring to prevent scorching.

Prepare a cookie sheet with sides by buttering foil fitted to the cookie sheet. Pour the toffee onto the foil covered cookie sheet.

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Melt 1 pound of chocolate (light or dark) in a double boiler.

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Spread 1/2 of the chocolate onto the slightly cooled toffee. Spread 2 cups chopped almonds onto melted chocolate and lightly press into chocolate. Protect hand with wax paper. Refrigerate until toffee is cooled and chocolate is set. Remove from refrigerator. Lift from pan using the foil and flip over to coat the bottom side with remainder of the melted chocolate: press in the remaining 2 cups of almonds.

Day 10 Of Twelve Days Of Christmas Candy "Mixed Nut Spiced Toffee"

The Thorson Family Tree. Decorated with the newest family member in mind, "Charlie" who now jumps, chews, and acts as "Guard-dog. Notice no decorations below a certain height.

500TH BLOG POSTING

Day 10 Of "Twelve Days Of Christmas Candy"

Mixed Nut Spiced Toffee

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Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) golden bown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon mild flavored (light)molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 xups coarsely chopped toasted mixed nuts (such as cashews, almondsand pistachios).
5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened or semi-sweet) chocolate,coarsely chopped

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Directions:

Butter small rimmed baking sheet. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add next 6 ingredients; stir until sugars dissolve. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to pan. Increase heat to medium; boil until thermometer registers 290°F, stirring slowly but constantly and scraping bottom of pan with wooden spatula, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 cups nuts. Immediately pour candy onto sheet. Spread toffee to 1/4-inch thickness. Immediately sprinkle chocolate atop toffee. Let stand 1 minute. Using back of spoon, spread chocolate over toffee. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts. Chill 1 hour. Break toffee into pieces. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Chill in airtight container. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.) Today is the last day to post a comment and be in the drawing for a gift from Italy to mark post 500!

Day 9 Of "Twelve Days Of Christmas Candy", Butter Toffee

Day 9 Of Twelve Days Of Christmas Candy

Butter Toffee

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Ingredients:

1 pound butter

2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons water

1-12 ouncw package chocolate chips

1 cup grond pecans

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Directions:

Bring butter, sugar and water to a boil in a Dutch oven stirring constantly until candy thermometer comes to a hard crack stage. Pour onro a cookie sheet with sides that has been sprayed with PAM. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. When the chocolate turns glossy and is melted, spread to evenly coat toffee and sprinkle with pecans. Store in air-tight container.

Day 7 Of "Twelve Days Of Christmas Candy", Aunt Lill's Brown Candy

The Bouck Family Tree

Day 7 of "Twelve Days of Christmas Candy"

Aunt Lil's Brown Candy

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Ingredients:

3 cups sugar, divided

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound pecans, toasted, coarsley chopped (about 4 cups)

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Directions:

Butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine 2 cups sugar and half and half in heavy large saucepan. Stir occasionally over low heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

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Bring remaining 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; continue boiling without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing sides of pan with wet brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes.

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Immediately pour caramel syrup into half and half mixture in large saucepan (mixture will bubble). Stir constantly over medium-low heat until caramel dissolves. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture registers 244°F, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda (mixture will foam slightly). Add butter and stir to melt. Let stand without stirring until mixture cools to 160°F, about 20 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Using large wooden spoon, stir constantly until candy begins to thicken and loses its gloss, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in nuts (candy will be very stiff). Scrape candy into prepared pan. Using wet fingertips, press candy firmly into pan. Cool completely, then cut into 30 squares.