English Toffee

Not really a family tradition but I know if I don't write it down I won't remember it when I go to make it next year...

Best-Ever Almond Toffee

3/4 cups sliced almonds, divided use
1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut up
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4-6 ounces good quality dark or milk chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread 1/4 cup of the almonds on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until toasted and aromatic. Set aside.

Line a 13×9 inch pan or other ridged pan with parchment paper and set next to stove.

Place butter, water and salt in a heavy bottomed, 2 quart saucepan and melt over medium heat. When butter is completely melted, add sugar. Set a deep fry thermometer in pan, being careful that bulb is not touching bottom of pan. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring once or twice until it reaches 240 degrees F.

At 240 degrees, add the remaining 1/2 cup sliced almonds to sugar mixture. After adding almonds, stir constantly, keeping heat at medium, until mixture reaches 290 degrees F. If temperature is not rising at a slow and steady rate, raise heat a tiny bit until mercury starts rising. (going from 240 to 290 should not take any longer than 13 minutes). When mixture reaches 290 degrees F, immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda. It will bubble a bit and the candy will develop air bubbles. Pour into parchment lined pan. The mixture should be kind of a bubbly blob at this point and if you are on track, the pan will be relatively clean when you dump the blob of candy onto the parchment. Mixture will begin to firm immediately, and butter may pool and separate, Do not pour off any excess butter if this happens. Do not panic, because if you cooked the toffee to 290, your candy should set. Sometimes it just takes longer.

Scatter chopped chocolate across top of hot almond mixture and let chocolate melt into and over the candy as candy firms. Using back of a spoon, spread melted chocolate evenly over candy.

Crush your toasted almonds and sprinkle over melted chocolate. Let candy cool for 1/2 hour at room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for about 1 hour to firm chocolate.

When chocolate is set is set, lift candy from pan by grasping parchment. Break candy into large chunks.