Sweets for the sweet. That’s what’s on my mind in February. I’m a baker by nature and prefer baked goods, both making them and eating them, over candy any day. My husband also prefers baked goods…unless it’s toffee. He does have a sweet tooth for toffee.
Wanting to surprise him one Valentine’s Day many years ago, I found a simple enough recipe to lure me to attempt the task of making toffee. Wrapping the toffee pieces in a box once finished, I presented it to Tom. He liked it. Didn’t that warm my heart! And so, the recipe holds its place in my treasured box.
Here’s what’s to love about this recipe, especially for anyone daunted by the task of candy making, like me: It’s simple. You don’t even use a thermometer! There’s no thread stage, soft ball, hard ball or crack stages to worry about which is comforting to this otherwise non-candy maker’s soul.
My hat is off to other family members who enjoy whipping out the thermometer and having a dish of water nearby to run candy tests. Some even like doing things like “tempering chocolate”, but not me. It’s fascinating and beautiful, for sure. But that’s not my thing, and I know it.
This recipe, I can handle it. And I’m happy to share it with you, so that you can easily “wow” any toffee lovers you’d like to make something special for this Valentine’s Day.
Toffee Recipe:
- 1 cup chopped nuts*
- ½ butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- up to ¼ cup finely chopped nuts
Butter a 9” square pan.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts in the pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring butter and sugar to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes together and starts to smoke. (About 7 minutes in…you’ll see it. And no, there’s no bad smell.)
Working quickly (but not in a panic), pour the hot mixture over the nuts and gently spread evenly.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cover the pan to melt the chocolate. (I use a cookie sheet to cover the pan.)
After a few minutes, remove the cover, and gently spread the melted chocolate over the butter/brown sugar layer.
Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.
Score with a sharp knife.
Let cool for several hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Break into pieces once cooled.
