Butter Toffee II

* Exported from MasterCook *

Butter Toffee II

Recipe By : Mike <cyberh@HIC.NET>
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
OPTIONAL:
Good Quality Chocolate Bars
enough to cover the toffee*
1 1/2 C. Almond slivers, blanched: toasted and fine
TOFFEE:
8 C. Sugar, granulated
1 lb. Butter, sweet (I sub good quality margarin
1/4 t. Salt
2 C. (to taste) Almond slivers, blanched, RAW**
2 T. Vanilla Extract, quality, to taste

Line an appropriate number of Sheet Pans (sub Jelly Roll or Lipped Cookie
Sheets) with Heavy Duty Foil... BE SURE to leave "handles" of foil to use
to lift the candy out of the pan... Butter the Foil and reserve...

Before you butter the foil in the Sheet Pans, unwrap enough chocolate bars
to (almost) cover the surface... Reserve...

Choose a deep heavy pot (I use a non-stick heavy Dutch Oven)... Add the
Sugar, Butter, Salt, and Almonds to the cold pot... Turn on heat to
high... Slowly stir to melt the butter and start the sugar caramelizing...
When the sugar is almost completely melted, stop stirring and watch the
ALMONDS carefully... When they are just a shade or to lighter than the
syrup, REMOVE from heat (don't just turn off the fire) and add the Vanilla,
quickly stirring...

Quickly pour into the Sheet Pans... I use an Offset Spatula to spread it
evenly...

Top with the optional Chocolate Bars... BE CAREFUL not to touch the candy
and get burned...

Let the Chocolate soften for about 5 minutes and then spread with the
Spatula... Immediately top with the finely chopped toasted Almonds,
pressing them into the Chocolate with a clean offset spatula...

Allow to cool completely... If you move it to a rack, it will speed it
up, but USE HOTPADS !!

When cool, lift the entire bar out of the Pan with the Foil... I break it
into large pieces that will barely go into a 2-gallon Ziplok... Then,
break it into smaller chunks inside the Zipolk so all the "Crumbles" don't
scatter all over the kitchen...

* My Favorite was the Hershey's Special Dark, but I don't think it's
available any more...

** I toast the Almond Slivers in the Microwave... Pulse them in the
Processor, and then pass them thru a Coarse Sieve to remove the larger
pieces... Then a Fine Sieve to remove the "Dust" that I use for other
candies... Repeat until you have about 1 C. of the "Brickle" size bits...

***The more almonds you add, the more decadent the Toffee... You can use
anything from 1 to 4 cups...

This looks a lot more complicated than it is... The only time consuming
part is toasting/chopping/sifting the Toasted Almonds for the Topping
(which I do one day and make the Toffee the next)... Once you start the
cooking this goes FAST and you must watch it carefully to avoid burning...








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