Homemade English Toffee Recipe
Homemade toffee is pure kitchen alchemy. You turn a couple of everyday ingredients - butter and sugar - into a hard substance that shatters with the best bite. Coat it with chocolate and almonds or break it into little pieces to have homemade toffee bits for baking. It's the ultimate homemade holiday gift and the kitchen project every home cook needs to try!
Equipment
- metal 9x13 baking pan or rimmed half sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Medium saucepan with a heavy bottom
- heat-safe spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb salted butter 4 sticks, 2 cups
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt or 1/4 tsp table salt
For topping
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup almonds finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare your baking sheet or sheet pan with a layer of parchment (important!) and measure out the chocolate chips and almonds, if using. Set to the side for later. Grab a heat-safe spoon or spatula for stirring.Making toffee requires ongoing attention, so be prepared to stand at your stove the whole time.
- In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine butter with sugars and salt. Clip on a candy thermometer and position the probe in the center of the mixture (not on the bottom of the pan) or have an instant read thermometer handy. Turn on to just below medium heat (I set mine to 4 out of 10). We are going to cook the toffee mixture to the hard crack stage right around 300F.*Note: Every stove is a little different and you may need to adjust to accommodate yours. You can always start at a lower heat and increase as needed. I have made toffee at a higher temp (5), but it is easier to control at a lower temperature.1 lb salted butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- At the beginning, the melted butter will make it seem like the proportions of ingredients are wrong. Just keep watching and stir occasionally to scrape the bottom of the pan to avoid burning. Gradually, the mixture will start to come together and look more cohesive with less butter separation.Keep an eye on the position of your thermometer. You want to temp the very center of the mixture and not the bottom of the pan. You may need to adjust it throughout the process.
- As the mixture cooks, it will get thicker and start bubbling. The trick for toffee is to get the sugar mixture to boil for 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature (it can go up quickly) and stir often to avoid burning and sticking on the bottom of the pan.
- As soon as the mixture reaches 295-305F or the hard crack stage on your candy thermometer, remove it from the heat.
- Being careful not to touch the molten sugar mixture, pour the toffee into your prepared pan and scrape out the excess with a spatula.
- Tilt the pan or tray gently to spread evenly or use a spatula. The pan may be warm at this point. Do this quickly as it will start to set fast.
- Allow the toffee to cool for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Let them set for another 5 minutes to melt. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly. Sprinkle the chopped nuts over top, if using.1 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup almonds
- Allow the toffee to cool completely. The toffee itself will be fully hardened before your chocolate sets up. This can take an hour or so. If not coating in chocolate, you won’t need to wait as long (like if you’re making toffee chips).
- When fully cooled and set, use the side of a large metal spoon or a heavy tool to whack the toffee. It will break into large chunks, which can be broken down into smaller pieces if desired. (If the almonds come flying off, try placing a layer of parchment over the toffee then resume whacking.)
- You’re now ready to try your toffee and package it up for gifting or future snacking!
Video
Notes
For the most consistent results, cook the toffee over medium-low heat (setting 3-4) and use a candy thermometer.
Do you have to use a candy thermometer?
Technically, no, but I absolutely recommend it. This saves you the fuss of hoping you get the temperature just right, and prevents waste. Be sure to temp right in the center of the mixture - not on the bottom of the pan. Candy thermometers usually have clips, and you'll need to adjust it each time.What if your toffee doesn't set?
If your toffee doesn't harden up all the way, it likely was not heated all the way to 300F. If your thermometer is resting on the bottom of your pan, it may be registering the temperature wrong. If you haven't added the chocolate yet, then the fix it simple. Break it up into pieces, add it back to the pan, and bring it back up to heat until it reaches 300F. Unfortunately, if you have added the chocolate and almonds, then you can't reheat it. In this situation, I recommend cutting the mixture into small pieces and using them as toffee bits in your cookies.What does toffee look like when it's done?
Once the sugar reaches 300F, you'll notice the toffee has is thick and bubbly with a tan-golden peanut butter-like color. I have photos of the color at each part of the cooking process in my full post.Free Printable Toffee Gift Labels
Click here to download the gift tags to your device.Nutrition
Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Servings: 32 servings
Calories: 195kcal