Shelly's Recipe

BUTTER TOFFEE

Category: Candy

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons water
1 cup ground or chopped almonds
1 1/2 giant Hershey milk chocolate bars (6 ounces), chopped and divided
Line a sheet pan with parchment or Silpat liner. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add sugar, salt and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Heat to boiling and cook to 310 degrees on a candy thermometer, stirring constantly. This will taker about 20 minutes; sugar will turn caramel colored.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate slowly over low heat in a double boiler, stirring occasionally.

When candy reaches 310 degrees, carefully pour onto a sheet pan and working quickly, spread it out, not too thick, with a silicone spatula.

Allow candy to cool for a minute or 2, then spread 1/2 of melted chocolate on top. Quickly sprinkle with 1/2 of the almonds, while chocolate is still wet. Place pan in a cool place and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Invert hardened toffee onto a second cookie sheet. Spread remaining melted chocolate on that side and sprinkle with remaining almonds. Allow to cool completely. Break into pieces with your fingers.

Makes about 3 cups.

Note: I made this on a large cutting board topped with parchment, and used chopped almonds instead of ground. It's best to melt the chocolate in a pan or metal bowl set over simmering water (it'll stay creamy) but you can use the microwave if you do it in batches. Otherwise, it will harden before you spread both sides.