Today is National Toffee Day

I am trying to repost a post from 2011 since today is National Toffee Day and I'm not going to have time to make a new post.  I hope this works.

Several years ago I tried Mildred's Toffee recipe from a Southern Living magazine, and I've been making candy by this recipe each Christmas since. 

English toffee.

Mildred's Toffee (Mildred Hayward, Kenosha, Wisconsin)
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (I sometimes use bittersweet chocolate)

Spread 1 cup toasted pecans into a 9-inch circle on a lightly greased baking sheet.  I usually line the baking sheet with parchment paper that is lightly greased.

  

Spread chopped nuts in a circle on parchment paper.

 Bring sugar and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  It is important to use a HEAVY saucepan to prevent scorching and use only a wooden spoon for stirring.

Sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup brought to a boil.

Cook until mixture is a golden brown and a candy thermometer registers about 300 degrees (about 15 minutes).  (I add a tablespoon of vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda when I take the mixture off the heat.  This is something I added.  Vanilla for flavor and baking soda helps turn the mixture a golden brown.)  Pour the sugar mixture over the chopped pecans on the baking sheet.

Sugar mixture poured over chopped pecans.

Sprinkle with the chocolate morsels.

Sprinkle with chocolate morsels.

After about 30 seconds, spread chocolate morsels evenly over top.

Spread chocolate evenly over top.

Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans.

After chilling for an hour, break into bite-size pieces.  Can be stored for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.

Serve in a pretty glass bowl.

I always have a big bowl of this toffee out for family and friends during the holidays.  You can put the toffee in a pretty cellophane gift bag, tie with a bow and you have a nice inexpensive gift that is always appreciated.

English toffee makes a nice gift.

Cappuccino-Walnut Toffee

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett (Southern Living magazine).

I always make toffee at Christmas time using my recipe for traditional English toffee, but when I ran across this recipe in Southern Living, I thought I would give it a try.  I liked the idea of combining cappucino and walnuts.  I use pecans in my traditional recipe.  I also thought the swirled dark and white chocolate gave a nice effect.  Here's the recipe:

 YIELD: Makes about 2 lb.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 1/4 cups butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark unsulphured molasses
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate morsels
• 1 cup white chocolate morsels

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
2. Bake walnuts at 350° in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Let cool 30 minutes.
3. Melt 1 1/4 cups butter in a 3 1/2-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat; stir in granulated sugar, next 5 ingredients, and 1/3 cup water. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 290° (soft crack stage), about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in walnuts. Quickly pour mixture into prepared pan, and spread into an even layer. Immediately sprinkle milk chocolate and white chocolate morsels over top; let stand 5 minutes. Swirl chocolate using an off-set spatula. Cover and chill until firm (about 1 hour). Break toffee into pieces. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 7 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Southern Living FEBRUARY 2011

Cappuccino-Walnut Toffee.

When I tried to swirl the white and chocolate morsels, the white just became incorporated into the dark chocolate or remained under the dark chocolate, and I didn't get the swirled effect.  I think perhaps I didn't wait the full 5 minutes to swirl the two.  While I do like the cappucino flavor for a change,  I think I'm going to stick with my traditional recipe which is virtually fail-proof.