Super Easy Holiday Butter Toffee Recipe

I LOVE Butter Toffee, but in the past all the recipes I ever tried to make were labor intensive and challenging.  It never seemed like they tasted as good as they should have for all the work they took. 

But that changed thanks to my Lil' Sis Susanne.  She sent me out a goodie basket one year with delicious buttery toffee.  She shared the recipe she found on http://www.allrecipes.com  - it was called "Best Toffee Ever - Super Easy.  How true of a name was that.  I modified the recipe a little bit, which I even think makes the recipe easier yet.

Drum Rollllllll Please!!!!

Here is the recipe for this great Buttery Toffee (the photos are of the double batch I made this year).

Ingredients:


2 cups unsalted butter

2 cups white granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped walnuts  (I am going to try Hazelnuts with my next batches)
Directions

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter.

Add sugar and salt to the melted butter.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until all ingredients are incorporated.

Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.

**Personal note - as the temperature increases the mixture will raise towards the top of the pot - so make sure you keep an eye on it and stir as necessary to bring the mixture back down.**

While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet.

***Another Personal note - once poured out the toffee will look "terrible" but don't fear - it will set up and turn out - it will look separated - some of the butter will pool around the edges that did not incorporate and that is normal.  My trick is to use a turkey baster to suck up and dispose of the extra melted butter.***

Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften.



You can also make it more interesting by adding white chips to make a swirl effect on the finished product.  When I do this I do not add the nuts - as I don't want to cover up the beautiful designs.


Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted.

Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.

Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

When I made this recipe this year my littlest son Gabriel was so cute.  As I was breaking it into bite size pieces - he keep coming over and saying "candy, candy".  I would than share a little piece with him.  When I was all done.  I put the extra nuts and chocolate onto a plate to eat later (which by the way it one of my favorite parts of this recipe).  I left the room for a minute - when I can back in Gabriel was busy putting as much of the nut/chocolate crumbs into his mouth as fast as he could.  I guess he agrees the scraps are a tasty treat.