Toffee

Last Saturday, we went canoeing to celebrate our friend Chris’s birthday. Our friend Marlyn, his wife, was bringing all the sandwiches, chips and drinks, so I decided to make a surprise dessert (that would stand up to being in a cooler for a few hours). I decided on blondies and found a wonderful recipe. However, we didn’t have any toffee pieces, and I really wanted to include them. Realizing that I had a new candy thermometer that hadn’t been broken in, I decided just to make the toffee myself.

I didn’t cover my toffee my toffee in chocolate like the recipe calls for, but only because I wanted the plain toffee pieces for the blondies.

English Toffee
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 semi-sweet chocolate baking squares or 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Directions:
-In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt.
-Cook to hard-crack stage (300°) stirring constantly and watching carefully.
-Immediately pour into 13″x9″ pan, lined with a Silpat or wax paper.
-Once slightly cooled, top with chocolate chips or finely chopped baking squares.
-When chocolate is melted, spread using an offset spatula.
-Top with nuts.
-Let stand 2-3 hours or chill 30 minutes.
-Break into pieces and enjoy!

Source: Adapted from RecipeZaar