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English Toffee

Sugar, water, butter and chopped almonds are cooked together until they caramelize to make this rich and chewy classic confection. Cut into rectangular shapes, dipped in chocolate, and covered with chopped almonds, these are difficult to resist.


3 tbsp unflavored vegetable oil, such as safflower oil
1¼ cups unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ tsp salt
2½ cups sliced almonds, finely chopped
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped


Yield: 60 pieces.

Coat a metal rolling pin, pizza wheel and marble board or back of a baking sheet with the vegetable oil; set aside.

Cut the butter into a few pieces and melt in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Add sugar, water and salt; increase heat to medium and cook until mixture registers 260 F on a sugar thermometer (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Add ½ cup almonds and continue cooking until mixture becomes golden brown and registers 305 F on thermometer (about 8 minutes) stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour mixture onto oiled board.

With oiled rolling pin, quickly spread mixture out very thin. It is necessary to work fast, because the mixture sets up rapidly and becomes too brittle to cut.

While still warm, with the oiled pizza wheel, score toffee into pieces that are 1½ inches long and ½-inch wide. Let these centers set until cooled to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Melt and temper the chocolate. Either dip the toffee in chocolate immediately, or store it in a tightly covered container at room temperature. If left exposed to the air, the toffee will absorb moisture and become soft.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups almonds on one of the prepared baking sheets. Dip a toffee piece into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the toffee from the chocolate, gently shake off the excess chocolate and drop the toffee in the chopped almonds. Roll the toffee in the almonds, coating it thoroughly, and turn out onto the paper lined sheets to set up completely, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the toffee will keep for 2 months in the refrigerator.