Best Toffee Ever - Super Easy

I have been making this toffee for 40 years. I cook it until 300 degrees. You have to stir constantly or it burns. Also, I make it in a 9x13 or 10x14 pan. I butter the bottom of the pan, spread the crushed almonds over the butter and pour the toffee mixture over that. I sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, let them melt and then spread. Mmmm, good

Toffee came out excellent! My mom, who was an expert candy maker, taught us that boiling sugar like in this recipe requires OCCASIONAL stirring. This recipe states to "STIR OCCASIONALLY" so follow the recipe. Some women who are not familiar with making candy want to stir and stir because that's what we know, but boiling sugar for candy does not require a lot of stirring. Always use a wooden spoon, no metal (changes the temp). The reason the butter separates: by stirring and stirring you're cooling the sugar down and not allowing it to get hot and cook. Do not take a spoon and scrape the sides of the pot "above" the boiling line, that's where the sugar crystalizes. If you scrape, your candy will come out gritty. Hopefully this helps.

As a professional Chef, I say mom2oovc has the best directions. It is very important to remember the following: 1. The pot MUST be "heavy-bottomed". It allows for the best even heating. Constant stirring should not be necessary at a medium heat. 2. At medium heat it should take about 20 minutes to reach 285F. If your temp is rising faster than that, your heat is too high. 3. Remember to consider your sea level. High sea levels affect your results. 3. Butter pooling or separation is caused from cooking too fast at too high a temp. At medium heat you will not have this problem. It is better to heat at a lower temp and adjust if it is taking more than 20 minutes to reach 285. The temp will rise faster in the beginning and slow as it reaches higher temps. Don't rush it! 4. 285F is "soft crack" meaning your toffee will be more pliable or chewy when cooled. The higher you take it (300-310F), the harder and more brittle the candy will be when finished. 5. TEST YOUR THERMOMETER! The boiling water method is best (212F), but remember to take sea levels into consideration! Don't let your thermometer rest on the bottom of the pan, but about 1/2" above it.

Wonderful, easy toffee recipe! I always like to add a few nuts to the bottom of the pan before pouring in the toffee mixture. Gives the toffee that little extra edge of flavor. Side note: using a large baking sheet will make for a thinnier toffee bottom, use a small cookie sheet if available. This recipe is definitely a keeper and great for gifts during the holidays for those friends who do not cook/bake!

Excellent! I found the solution to the butter separation! Make it in a wide, shallow pan, like a cast iron skillet, and use a metal slotted spoon to whisk the mixture in an up and down motion, making sure to incorporate the separated butter on the sides of the pan. My butter started to separate, but this helped tremendously to incorporate it back into the sugar. I added vanilla, extra salt, and topped with a dark 60% cocoa chocolate and chopped pecans. Perfect!

Delicious. I used 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup dark brown sugar (or light brown) and added a splash of vanilla and the 1/4 tsp. salt. Poured into 2 9inch cake pans sprayed with pam. Turned out great with or without chocolate and nuts. Use the heaviest pan that you have; I have Le Crueset and it helps prevent hot spots. EDIT 12/23/08: Made a batch with the original measurements (usually make 1/2 batch). Needed to use 3 cups brown sugar for the 2 cups butter. DIdn't add chocolate, just pecans. Much easier to make a half-batch, but was still AMAZING toffee. 12/09/09: Made tonight and added a generous pinch of sea salt and press very finely chopped walnuts into toffee with the back of wooden spoon. :)

This toffee is super easy and absolutely delicious!!!!! It is exactly what I was looking for. I've made it several times already, including to give as gifts this past Christmas. Everyone I've shared it with has loved it. So far, I've only made half batches (resulting in about 1lb of candy for each batch). Other than that, the only change I've made has been to add a little bit (about 1 teaspoon or so) of pure vanilla extract before cooking. I always prepare the aluminum foil covered baking sheet (and measure out my chocolate chips and almonds) before I start cooking, so I'm free to keep stirring once I start. While the toffee is cooking, I stir it constantly instead of occasionally as the recipe suggests. It doesn't take very long to chill/set - I'll usually let it chill for about 45 minutes to an hour - before breaking it into pieces. Thank you for a fabulous recipe that I intend to make for years to come! I highly recommend this recipe for beginners and experienced candymakers alike.

Like pralines...too soft, too bland. Toffee has to be cooked to 300 degrees or to the hard crack, or 12 minutes boil to where it is truly brownish. I made it years ago from a recipe and it was perfect but here I couldn't remember the recipe. I used this recipe but it was all wrong. If you want a soft praline-like taste then this is it. If you want genuine toffee, cook it to the hard crack. I found the real recipe from Betty Crocker, and that is 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, not double. 1/8 tsp salt. However, instead of spreading it on a cookie sheet (unless you just like it paper thin), I recommend pouring it in a lined rectangular cake pan in order to achieve the thickness of a real Heath bar. Still spread a cup or cup and a half of chips with the back of a spoon, then add any chopped nuts of your choice. Set naturally or refrigerate for a short while, then break into bite sized pieces. This is genuine toffee with the genuine flavor, not some spruced-up praline. Do NOT use a plastic spoon in this recipe. Use a wooden spoon. The plastic one will melt into the candy. I don't recommend this recipe because it is tasteless and not at all toffee-flavored. It is sugary and like a praline.

I just made a batch this evening and it is INCREDIBLE! This is the first time I have made toffee, so I really don't have other experiences to compare it to, but it was super-easy and turned out perfectly. I did tweak it a little by first toasting a cup of sliced almonds in the oven; when they cooled a little, I put a handful in my coffee grinder and chopped them up until they were almost a powder (careful: too much grinding and you'll end up with almond butter) and the rest I just broke up with my fingers. When the candy mixture was ready, I added the broken up almonds, then sprinkled the powdered ones over the melted chocolate. I'm telling ya, just like gourmet candy stores' toffee. Thanks so much for an excellent recipe. Will DEFINITELY make again!

This is a super easy receipe! The heavy bottom pot is key though. I tried making these last month in my stainless steel pots, no can do. I have a cast iron pot now and they came out great..can't stop nibbling on them. Made 1/2 with almonds and 1/4 with pecans and 1/4 with walnuts just to try the difference = none! A nut is a nut on this toffee! Thanks, will make many more times.

My husband and I (ok, mostly him) made this toffee for Christmas. It was easy to make and is delicious! We followed the directions with the exception of adding a teaspoon of vanilla. I took a few pieces into work and gave a few pieces to my mother and saved the rest for Christmas - everyone loved it. My husband has made toffee for years, so when using the candy thermometer he only took it to 285 degrees; he confirmed doneness by the color and the water test. The toffee was buttery, creamy and crisp but not super brittle, almost melted in your mouth! Thanks, FunkySeaMonkey, for sharing this recipe.

This will result in PERFECT toffee every time if you just follow some of the guidelines. The best tip is stirring constantly until it comes to a boil, but then only VERY occasionally after it comes to a boil (this prevents separation). Also, cook to exactly 300 degrees (anything under 300 will result in WAY too soft toffee), then pull it off the burner and immediately pour it onto a prepared pan, lined with wax paper sprinkled with your choice of nuts (the weight of the liquid toffee will "press" the nuts into it, leaving the opposite side for the chocolate). After a couple of minutes, add your chocolate to the top, wait a few minutes, then spread with the back of a large spoon until even, and pop in the fridge until set. This is the absolute best toffee recipe ever - yeilding a flaky, but crunchy, toffee that is crisp, but easy to chew and doesn't stick to your teeth...the hallmark of the most expensive toffees out there! I'd recommend investing in a $3 candy thermometer...takes the guess work and stress out of the process at the last minute! ONE OTHER TIP: It's not a bad idea to spray your wax paper lightly with non-stick spray as an extra precaution. I have had toffee stick to wax paper and have had to peel it off, which is no fun at all. :-( Thanks for the great recipe!!

I have been making this toffee for years. The only thing I do different, is I use salted butter and do not add salt. The lady that gave me the recipe, didn't tell me what temperature to cook it to or for how long. She said the easiest way to do it was to put a brown paper grocery bag by the stove and when the mixture was that color then it was ready and it works. I never use a candy thermometer. I do like to drop some into cold water to make sure it is at the hard crack stage. One thing I have found about the butter trying to seperate out, is never to try to make this in bad weather. This candy is very sensitive to moisture in the air. If you fix it only one beautiful clear days, it should not seperate at all.

Not sure I would classify this as *easy*...but maybe some people have better luck. Mine separated on my first try... I was using a non-stick pan and stirring constantly with flat whisk, because I read that suggestion in one of the reviews. I think I stirred to much. It turned into grainy clumpy sugar and floating liquid butter on top. I tried transferring it to a cast iron skillet to see if that would help. It didn't. I thought it was ruined, so I ran to the store to buy more butter and start over. Came back 30 minutes later and the clumpy separated mess was still sitting in the pan on the stove. It seemed like such a waste to throw it all away, so I decided to Google what causes this separation and came across some tips... The three tips I read were 1) Add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue very gently swirling. You can add up to 1/2 cup of water. I added a total of 4 tablespoons. 2) Add salt. I read that using salted butter can have better results, so I added more salt. Maybe 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp more. 3) I switched to a wooden spoon. IT WORKED!!! Slowly but surely, the separated yuckiness came together into a fluffy caramel mixture, and then smoothed out. It is chilling in the fridge right now, but when we tested the bit we dropped into ice water (to test if it was crunchy), it was great!

I made this over the weekend and believe this is my best batch yet!!! I reread all the reviews and took notes. You MUST have patience with this recipe. This is what I did to acheive great success. 1) Weather: This must be made on a cool dry day, some of the bad review were based upon the toffee made on rainy/wet days. 2) Equipment: I used a cast iron enamel pot, candy thermometer, wooden spoon, and measuring glass with cold water. 3) Mixing: I combined butter (used unsalted), sugar and salt together stirring until the mixture was melted. Then throughout the cooking process I maybe stirred a few times. It will take 20-30 mins for the mixure to hit 285 degrees on medium heat. I know there is a bit of debate cooking until 300 depending how soft or brittle you like your toffee. Once the temp hit 285 I cooked for about 5 mins more and did the cold water test. The toffee was brittle and perfect, melted in your mouth. I poured the mixture on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and almonds. Let it cool a bit and spread melted milk chocolate on top. My only regret is not making a full batch. (I wanted to perfect this process experimenting with half batches) My co-workers said it's the best toffee they've had!! Thank you funkyseamonkey for sharing your outstanding recipe!!!

I just made this recipe. I just wanted to post a note for others. The recipe says to pour into a large baking pan. Use a 9x13 or something similar. I used a cookie sheet and my toffee is extremely thin as a result. Just FYI

The first time I made this recipe, I made the mistake of stirring as the temperature increased. Also, I took the mixture off at 285 degrees even though it hadn't reached the right color. (I thought I tested my thermometer correctly!) It was a mess - the butter separated and none of it set up. Suffice it to say, I tossed that and decided to try again because I had butter that was going to expire soon anyway and I wanted to get over my phobia of making toffee! I am glad I did because the next try worked like a charm. I followed the instructions this time (I know, I sound ridiculous!) by not stirring at all once the butter melted. Then I didn't pay attention to the thermometer reading and just waited for the dark amber colored. It worked brilliantly. Everyone loved it and now I am no longer terrified of making toffee!

This is amazing! Tastes exactly like a heath bar. The first batch I made had a tragic accident involving a plasic jar of barbeque spice and a cat but the second batch was perfect. I layered the almonds on the bottom of the pan and poured the toffee over it and then covered with chocolate. I also put some in muffin pans and sprinkled salt on top. All of the variations I made were amazing. I took half a cookie sheet to work with me today and in less than an hour, it was gone. I had to hide some for my friend. I think I"ve found my go-to candy recipe.

I finally got this recipe right; I bought a digital thermometer and melted the butter completely on low/med (between 3-4 on my electric stove) before adding the sugar. I then stirred continually until it reached 212. I then stopped stirring, from recommendations from other sources until it reached 236. Once it reached 236, I began stirring again until it reached 285. It turned out great! I think next time I might cook slightly longer for a more crunchy texture. The type of pan you cook in makes a difference too. If I use a pan that has a plain surface, it cooks to a carmel type color and is more crunchy. If I use teflon or non-stick type coating, the sugar doesn't brown very well at all. I prefer the plain pan WITHOUT the non-stick coating

Be certain to use salted butter and don't omit the salt from the recipe. Salt stabilizes the butter and helps to keep it from separating out. Also once it is boiling stop stirring. Just keep taking the temperature ever so often. It's easier if you melt the butter first and then stir in the sugar.

Three important keys to making this a 5-star success: #1 - Add 1/2 cup water to the recipe at the beginning. #2 - To keep the oil from seperating from the butter, stir CONSTANTLY all in the SAME direction. Example - only stir clockwise. I know it sounds strange, but I have only had one batch seperate in 24 years of making it and it was because I didn't pay attention to how I was stirring it. #3 - To keep the chocolate from popping off the candy when breaking, wait until the candy has cooled enough to be comfortable to touch with your wrist and then spread with MELTED chocolate. Let it cool at room temperature. I have made a similar recipe as this for 24 years. Mine includes 1/2 cup water and uses milk chocolate. Before cooking the candy, I spray a large cookie sheet with pam and then sprinkle it with 6 oz sliced almonds. I start the candy on high (throw everything in at the same time) and then turn it to medium high after it starts boiling. It takes approximately 12 minutes from start to finish. I don't use a candy thermometer but wait until it's smoking quite a bit before pouring it out. If your toffee doesn't have a rich taste, you need to cook it a little longer.

I made the toffee as a take home gift bag for a wedding. I doubled the recipe, then made it x3. Enough for (I hope) 150 cello gift bags, to be tied with ribbon, sealed with an initialed sticker. The first batch I made was trial & error, following the recipe, using a candy thermometer. It took forever To get the mixture up to temp & it was still on the light side. What I realized is that I was not aggressive enough with the heat. So here's what I did... I used my Le Creuset Soup Pot. Melted the butter. Added the sugar. Using a wire whisk, stir, stir, stir over medium high heat keep stirring! It will look like molten lava with huge bubbles after a few minutes. Now you can remove the whisk, stir just once in a while as the color begins to happen. Fold up from the bottom. Watch the heat. You may need to turn it down. It will turn brownish quickly now! Don't burn it! You are looking for the color of a brown paper bag. Now check it with candy thermometer. 290 is great. Pour onto foil lined half sheet pan that has been lightly sprayed with Pam & sprinkled with finely diced almond. I used sliced almonds that I processed & pulsed in Cuisinart to a fine dice. I used a 17.5 oz milk chocolate bar melted the microwave in a Pyrex cup 1 min., stir, 30 stir. Pour or drizzle on cooled toffee. Sprinkle with more almonds. Allow to dry. Store in airtight container. Keeps for a few weeks.

excellent toffee...the parchment paper worked better than the aluminum foil there were a few pieces of the toffee that i had to scratch the foil off the bottom.

I have been making this toffee for 15 years since I was a little girl. I cook it just to 285 stirring the whole time. It comes out perfect every time. I made some last night and didn't feel like chopping almonds so I just used some peppermint sprinkles on top. Also I have always used semi sweet chips on top, let the toffee cool for about 5 minutes then sprinkle them on top and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Once the chips are all shiny spread them over the toffee. PERFECT!

very easy recipe! temperature should be 300 degrees though not 285, 2 1/3 cups of sugar works better, 25 to 30 minutes on medium works for me. If the toffee starts to separate, add 1 tbsp of water at a time, it will come back together, no more than 1/4 cup. Parchment paper makes easy removal and clean up.

I did everything that I could have done wrong with this recipe but your toffee can be saved! First crystallized sugar will turn your batch into a grainy mess! Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved into butter before boiling. If there are any sugar crystals built up on the sides of the pan. Wipe them off with a wet pastry brush or wash cloth. I have also read wooden spoons can cause crystallization. Grainy toffee is the worst! Second! Once it begins to boil STOP stirring. Set on Medium or medium low and stir once every few minutes. High heat and stirring too much will separate the butter from the sugar. :( IF ITS TOO LATE... Separation is an easy fix. Turn heat down to the lowest setting and add a tablespoon of hot water at a time while stirring VERY slowly. Don't add more than 1/4 cup water! Be patient...it will start to come together! Crystallization is impossible to reverse completely but can be helped. Bring the temperature down to the lowest setting. Cover with a lid and stir every few minutes for about 10 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn! Your toffee will still be a bit grainy but will crack not crumble. Hope this is helpful!!

Separation Issue: Add 1/4 cup of light corn syrup (helps emulsify the sugar/butter). Also keeps the sugar from crystalizing. Grainy issue: Sugar has crystalized (it only takes one sugar crystal to start the chain reaction) due to not using corn syrup, too high heat or not cooking long enough. DO NOT scrape toffee from sides of pot when pouring out onto pan. Those are where the crystalize sugars (if any) will be and will separate your toffee, even at the end. Burnt issue: Could be the altitude. High altitude affects cooking process. You will have to add/subtract time depending on your altitude. Also, cook at slightly lower temps so it won't go from "done" to "burnt" so fast and/or crystalize. It happens FAST! Sticky, not crunchy issue: Humidity. Too much humidity in the air. Check humidity levels the day you will be making toffee. If it's high, or it's raining/snowing, it will make the candy "chewier." I know candy makers use copper pans. I think this is what remedies the heat distribution issue, but don't quote me on that as I have never cooked it out of anything made of copper. Hope those help. I learned them from about 10 years of trial/error/research. I even asked Dori Greenspan for her ideas on this subject (separating). She knew exactly what I was talking about-how frusterating it is, but had no suggestions. Sometimes candy just doesn't want to "play nice." These tips should reduce the frequency of incidents. It's very tricky to make candy! An art.

This was SOOO good! I did what one of the people down below said to do and coated both sides with the chocolate and nuts. I also did what the author of the recipe does and used pecans... not because I like them better.. it was just the only nut in the house... but anyways. The taste was wonderful the crunch was perfect. I added a little bit of the nuts into the toffee.. it tasted just like See's candy... if not better! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE! VERY EASY AND VERY VERY VERY GOOD!!!

Great recipe, but the directions could have been a been more clear for those of us who are first time candy-makers. First off, it took much longer than 15 minutes from the point of boiling until the deep amber/caramel color. I was fearful of burning, so perhaps I cooked at a lower temp than I should have. I used Reynold's Release foil, so there was no need to grease it. Once the toffee was poured into the pan, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to pre-melt the chocolate before spreading. Following the directions, I sprinkled the chips on top and was horrified to see them sinking into the hot toffee. I decided to spread with a spatula anyway and it was then that I realized the melted chocolate just skims over the top. I don't suggest you use baggies on your hands to press nuts in...it actually smears the choc and makes it look messy. Simply sprinkle nuts right away when the choc is still soft and they will stick once chilled! Great recipe, thanks!

I have made this recipe at least a dozen times. Every time I get rave reviews and everyone always requests that I make it for Christmas. It is SO good! Much better than most of the stuff you buy at the store, and that's saying a LOT because I LOVE toffee! I do have a couple of suggestions. I cut the butter in half to 1 cup and it is plenty! When I have made it with 2 cups, it was way too buttery! Then you also don't have to worry about separation. Half the butter gives it all the flavor with half the fat! Awesome! I'll take it! Make sure that it turns to a deep amber color before you pull it off the heat too or will be very sticky, almost like caramel, instead of crunchy. My sister made this mistake when she made it because she didn't have a thermometer. I don't actually use a thermometer anymore myself (I did the first couple of times), but I find that if you wait longer it comes out with more flavor and more crunch. So I would agree that you should cook it to closer to 300* instead of 285*. I also like to put the almonds in the toffee because I think it gives them better flavor. I've tried them on top and didn't care for it. I stir the almonds in when the toffee is almost done, probably about a minute left. Then I proceed to melt the chocolate on the top as directed. SO delicious!! We've also tried it with a little sea salt on top. This is a recipe I will be using for a long time. Thank you FUNKYSEAMONKEY!

I've made this twice. It turned out both times. I used room temp butter and heated the butter and sugar on medium in a high side All Clad pan- stirring with a wooden spoon quite frequently. I used a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sugar crystals from the side. Once it started boiling I only stirred about 4 times just to give it a mix. When it was the color of a paper bag, I removed the pan from the heat and stirred in the vanilla. I poured the toffee on a silpat baking sheet- added the chips- spread when melted and sprinkled with chopped cashews- very good!

My Mom made toffee like this every Christmas. To get chocolate on both sides, I use my mother's method. She would sprinkle an even layer of chocolate chips and pecans on the jelly roll pan before pouring the toffee mixture on top. Then she would wait until the candy had set up a bit, but was still warm. She would break up a large Hershey's candy bar and place the individual squares all over the toffee mixture. After sitting for a few moments, she would CAREFULLY spread the melted chocolate all over the toffee and top w/more chopped pecans. I also remember her spraying the pan w/a little Pam before sprinkling the chocolate chips. So wonderful!!

I've been making toffee for years with a similar recipe- but the salt addition here made me think... what would happen if I used unsalted butter? Today I used this recipe with a couple of adjustments- and it was PERFECT. 1. I used unsalted butter and added salt for the first time ever. Toffee was a lighter color after it cooled and was ideally crisp (snapped easily when you broke it). 2. When cooking, I use a heavy bottom pot on a smaller burner. My burner is 1-12 setting. I start the burner on about 8 to melt the butter w/ sugar. Stirring only every 25 seconds, as you can easily over work the toffee by over stirring- I use a slotted well made plastic spoon (really seems to work much better than metal or wood, as it takes the mixture easily off the sides and bottom of the pot). 3. As soon as mixture starts to bubble (a very light boil), add 2 tsp. of water and stir... 4. Watch very closely and take down heat a tad (to 6-7). Keep stirring every 25 seconds or so. 5. You are looking for mixture to become an amber color (google the color amber to see what it looks like). 6. Pour mixture onto greased foil and let it roll naturally. I put foil on cutting boards/ cookie sheets. For this size recipe you'll need about 4 cookie sheets. 7. I ground up 1/2 of the almonds to a powder. I put this on top of the chocolate and the slivered almonds on top of that. 8. Press down on top layer to embed almonds. 9. For best result, put sheets in freezer for 25 minutes or so...

Though the amount of ingredients were right on, the directions are off. They said to bring the candy up to 285. You really need to cook it until 305, stirring constantly. I made 3 batches following the directions exactly, and the toffee always came out chalky. After reading other reviews I found if you cook it until 305, once cooled it will be perfect in color and will have just the right crunchieness:) I also chose to use chopped pecans-next time I would like to try toasting the pecans to give a sweeter taste to them. This recipe is a keeper, but remember to change the temp! Thanks for sharing:) Yummy!!!

I'm sorry, but I wasnt happy with this recipe. I followed recipe exact and cooked on medium for 25 min, finally gave up, poured in pan and chilled. The toffee has a good taste, but is still a little chewy. I think I will stick with my old stand by recipe of 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1 cup chopped pecans. You cook the butter, sugar and water on med-high heat stirring constantly. Once it boils, set your timer for 13 min. After 13 min., pour onto foiled pan and sprinkle pecans. Works every time.

Used Candy Thermometer and followed recipe to the letter - EXCEPT - I wanted chocolate on BOTH sides of the toffee. When the toffee was just about finished ~ I turned on my oven to 200 degrees and using a small foil pan (8x11) I scattered some chocolate chips in the bottom of the pan and put the pan in the oven for a few min. Once the chips were shiny I removed the pan and spread the chocolate into a thin even layer. I then sprinkled the almonds on top of the melted chocolate and poured the toffee on top. Tilted it to get it even in the pan and then put the remiaining chocolate chips on the top of the toffee. Spread after a bit and then popped it into the fridge. The great thing about the foil pan is when I removed it from the fridge I just twisted the pan and the toffee broke into chucks!! PERFECT!!! Mmmm MMmmm Good!!

I've made this a few times and never had a problem. Until now. I made FOUR batches the other day and they all separated right before it turned dark amber. I finally thought maybe it was because I started with frozen butter which I'm not sure I've done previous times. I didn't think it would matter since you melt it anyway but I looked online and found some others saying it was a problem to use frozen butter. So, I went to the store and got fresh butter and this time it worked! I was too afraid to even try thawing my frozen butter b/c I read some people saying even previously frozen butter will cause problems. SO...do not start with frozen butter!!! Lesson learned!

For my taste, I like my toffee to be crunchy. So you will need to boil the toffee until a hard crack. Otherwise, this recipe will give you soft chewy toffee instead of hard crunchy toffee. I have also used different chocolate and nut pairings and it comes out yummy.

oooooooo SO GOOD!! I LOVE English Toffee but its hard to find a good recipe. I followed the advice of another poster and whisked my mixture until it started to boil. I would also suggest using mini chocolate chips for the topping, they just melt so much faster and makes it easy. I didn't have almonds in the house but I do have a healthy supply of hazelnuts and any time I can combine those with chocolate is heaven in my book! so I ground them up and dusted the top with hazelnuts :)

no one can resist home made toffee like this! sometimes i add corn syrup which makes the toffee more glossy and clear (it tastes the same, the two forms of sugar keep eachother from crysatlizing).

Perfect! Didn't change a thing except to use 3 cups chocolate chips instead of 2 for the chocolate layer (2 would have been pretty skimpy). At first I thought it was not going to be hard enough - the traces left on the spoon seemed more chewy, like caramel, however after it cooled it was a perfect toffee (soft crack - crunchy, but will dissolve in your mouth) consistency. I did use a candy thermometer, and would definitely recommend it to get the correct end result.

Sorry.....I forgot to put stir CONSTANTLY not occassionally. I prefer mine with pecans.

I know how to bake/cook! I tried this reciepe twice. Each time with worse results. I threw out the recipe, never again!

This is the first time I've ever strayed from my tried-and-true toffee recipe and I was sorely disappointed! I've made the other recipe at least 2 dozen times in the past 15 years and have never had it fail. This is a grainy, soggy, gooey mess. I was skeptical...cooking to 285 defies the laws of candy-making. Toffee isn't toffee without hard-crack. I'm not a candy expert by any means though, so I followed the instructions and it was not to my liking. Yes, it firms up in the fridge, but it's still chewy and grainy. It bugs me how much chocolate and almonds I wasted on this disaster. I cannot imagine how this recipe has so many great reviews--I can only surmise that the people who are happy don't know what toffee is supposed to be like. This is grainy caramel at best. :(

Just put my cookie sheet of this toffee into the fridge and it came out perfect!! Followed the directions and took the hint to not stir once it started to bubble up. I did let it hit 300*. The only thing I did differently was to sort of whip it up a bit before pouring onto the cookie sheet. None of the butter puddled up on top at all!! First time trying and I can say success!!! Thanks for any easy, yummy recipe!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW GOOD THIS WAS! Brought it to a party and everyone raved. I made sure to stir it constantly, though. I also added chopped toasted pecans instead of almonds, and it was great. I also didn't spread the chocolate chips, just left them on top to melt and then pressed the nuts over top. This way there was no mess and it still looked and tasted great. I am making this for everyone I know this holiday!

I have been searching and trying for years and this receipe is it. The key is to stir until it starts to boil then stop stiring. The butter won't separate. I also added the nuts right into the mixture just before I poured onto the cookie sheet.

I've made this many times now and it really is super easy...but there is a bit of a learning curve! The candy thermometer is a huge help. Makes a great gift. People always ask for the recipe.

WOW!!!! Too dangerous to have in the house though, I ate the whole thing myself!

Made this as written and the butter pooled on the top... still tasted great though. Made the next batch but stirred it the entire time and the butter did not pool at all. Yes! Perfect!

Looking through the reviews, I can't believe people had a problem with this! I've made this recipe for the past 3 years, without a candy thermometer, and I've never had a problem with it. I judge it based on the colour of the toffee as it's boiling. With that being said, this is amazing! Everyone always loves it, and it's always a hit at potlucks. I've made a video of me making it for this Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUPhej9mWew

Unbelievably easy and melts in your mouth. Mailing this treat out to our family & friends for Christmas!

My go to recipe for perfect toffee. Be sure to cook it on med high temp until you get that rich toffee color you want! I find that I get the crackle stage but the color is too light so I just cook it longer and it gets that deep brown, so much better!

Sooooo disappointed. Followed the directions exactly. Used a candy thermometer and everything and ended up with gloop. Flavorful gloop.

SWIRL MORE, STIR LESS...This really is EASY and exceptional tasting! I, too, read all the reviews and what I can tell you about stirring is not to do it too much, but rather swirl the pan...this moves the toffee around but doesn't break it up and cause it to separate. Also, if you see your toffee start to smoke, it is DONE! One reviewer said when it's done you just know and this was true for me. This was my first time making toffee and it couldn't have turned out better. Check out my photo of this..it's the one on the glass cookie tray with the peanut blossoms and pecan sandies. Also, if you want to practice without wasting all the ingredients-halve the recipe and use a smaller pan. I "greased" my pan with a little crisco and they fell right out.

Turned out great first try. Used a candy thermometer and followed the directions. I love that this takes only a few ingredients and does not make a big mess..super easy and fast clean-up for a very delicious candy..ummm I won't be buying anymore Almond Rochca.

This really was very easy to make. It was my first attempt at toffee and I was a little nervous, but it turned out great. As tempting as it is to keep stirring it, it really does make a big difference to just let it simmer...the bubbles will stir itself. Very tasty!

I've made peanut brittle for 40 years but since I found this recipe peanut brittle is no longer my go-to candy! This toffee is SO easy to make!!! I've never used a candy thermometer - a previous reviewer said to cook the mixture until it was the color of a brown paper bag. I keep the bag on the stove and when it's that color I remove from the heat! You also should stir constantly (Funkyseamonkey posted this is a note). I top with roasted, salted cashews - YUMMY!!!

I have made this recipe for years and everyone loves it. I omit the salt and instead of semi-sweet chocolate I use milk chocolate chips. Also I have had the problem with separation a couple of times. If this starts to happen-stop stirring and it should come together. Also I've never used a thermometer. I cook it until it is the same COLOR as peanut butter

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! It takes a while for it to get the amber color. If you don't have a candy thermometer I would cook it until the color changes and it's not as frothy anymore! my mom and i think it tastes like almond roca. Brilliant! i tried adding 2 tablespoons of instant coffee to it! yummy! coffee toffee!

This toffee is so good. This is my first attempt at candy making, so the first batch didn't work out for me. I follow reviewers advice and did not stir after it started boiling, but the butter pooled on the top. I poured it onto a cookie sheet, dumped the excess butter off, and put chocolate on it anyway and it still turned out ok. The next batch I used salted butter and despite what some reviewers have said I stirred slowly, but constantly. Every time the butter would start to separate I would add a Tablespoon of water and stir. It pulled it back together every time. I didn't use a thermometer and I just eyed it to get it the right color and checked it with the water method. It turned out great! On half I put milk chocolate and almonds, the other half I put milk chocolate and cinnamon chips (SOOOOO GOOD, if you like cinnamon). Thanks for the recipe, I'll definitely make it again.

I'll give it 4 stars only because I think the mistakes were mine. My husband really enjoyed it, but I thought the toffee part was REALLY granulated and just tasted really sugary and icky. I didn't eat it, but my husband ate it all in a matter of about a week and a half. I'll definitely try this one again and hopefully it turns out better!!

This was the first year I made candy ever (for Christmas) and I tried this recipe. This is hands down, the BEST AND EASIEST toffee!!! I shipped it to friends and family, and got RAVE reviews all around. Pay close attention to the temp. I pulled my toffee as soon as it hit the hard crack stage. It was smooth, and melted in your mouth. This is now going to be part of my Christmas tradions!

I scaled this down to one stick of butter and half a cup of sugar, and it turned out great. I cooked the toffee to a hard ball stage (a bit of the hot toffee dropped into iced water turns into a hard, breakable strand) and used the broken pieces in chocolate chip cookies.

This really is fabulous & one of the easiest recipes ever! Couldn't find the candy thermometer so I used the water test and judged by the color too. I followed the recipe exactly other than using pecans for the nuts.

This is a REALLY amazing recipe and so easy. I have had some problems with the butter separating but otherwise it's great. I've done this 3 times, all without a candy thermometer (!). I test by the color and ice-water bowl, so the last batch was amazing. Definitely making again (and again and again and again...)!

Rave reviews! This toffee is very easy to make and tastes very expensive. My only suggestion would be is that slow and steady wins the race when making the toffee portion. I heated on medium for about twenty minutes, stirring the entire time, and then slowly raised the heat until it turned amber (an additional ten minutes). My boyfriend took this to work and everybody loved it and I couldn't keep my hands off of it!

This was very easy to make with a candy thermometer. I used roasted/salted almonds and it was great. Will definitely make again.

This did not turn out at all! Stirring occasionally is just not enough stirring - mine was dark and burnt tasting even though I only cooked it to 280.

This was a super easy toffee recipe. I didnt have a thermometer, so I just stirred and boiled to the right color and it was so good. Gave it out as part of gifts for Christmas and it was a hit

This recipes is excellent & super easy. I even did it without a candy thermometer by following another reviewer's suggestion of testing it in cold water. Once the toffee mixture is a maple color, drop a tiny bit in cold water. If it hardens right away and is brittle when you bite it - it's done.

Hard to know what rating to give this. I've never made toffee before and attempt number one went badly. I followed the directions exactly and was feeling good when it started turning amber colored and I hadn't had a separation problem. Unfortunately, my problem was that the mixture turned a dark dark almost chocolate color LONG before hitting 285 degrees. I kept the temperature at slightly lower than medium to avoid burning. No burning smell or anything so not sure why it's so dark. I also had trouble with the chocolate melting...it almost seemed crumbly and I had a hard time spreading it. I'll try again but not sure what to do differently next time. Can't say for sure if this is a recipe flaw or operator error! Ok just tried round two...this time I didn't use the thermometer and acheived the desired color; however, the butter separated right at the end and it became thick. I plopped the "dough" on the cookie sheet and it stayed as is! Another flop. Ugh!

I have been making Toffee for Christmas give-away's for YEARS! MOST important- you MUST use butter. At first you may want to use half of this recipe. Never use more than the 2 cups of butter/sugar. It just doesn't work. People who get separation are probably using margarine. My twist - I chop walnuts and put them on the baking sheet. About 1 1/2 cups scattered around so the sheet is covered but there are openings in between. As your butter/sugar mixture comes to temp, (do not stop stiring), you will see a VERY slight smoke. DRIZZLE immediatley over nuts. Then top with choc. chips. Wait a minute or two, then spread the chocolate with the back of a spoon. This will give you pretty swirls. Sometimes I will sprinkle a few chopped nuts ontop. After cool break into pieces. If you used alot of nuts, you may have to cut into pieces. If you spread the nuts a bit thinner, you can poke the toffee with the tip of a sharp knife. It will break into nice irregular pieces. This is just the best stuff! And now all my friends expect it every year. Start your own tradition!

Should have read ALL the reviews first. This recipe wasted a pound of organic butter and two cups of organic sugar. A total bust! Highly disappointed here. Trying to make candy for gifts and I just wasted time and money on this recipe. Huge pool of butter all over the place upon pouring this out onto the pan.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! I made chocolate truffles and this toffee and brought some to work. The toffee was everyone's favorite of the two. I did add 1 tsp vanilla before pouring onto sheet. I also used Godiva chocolate (half of batch milk and half with dark). I sprinkled the chocolate with coarse salt. One thing I needed to do is lay paper a paper towel on top of the hardened toffee and lightly pressed it to help soak up excess grease from butter before spreading chocolate over it.

So simple! Just note, if after you melt the butter and the sugar melts you still have a lot of butter floating around on top, add more sugar by the tablespoon while stirring until all the butter is incorporated.

Perfect first time. Will make again just as written.

This was so good, i dont know how you can mess it up and i did not even have a candy thermometer, i just cooked it to the perfect amber color. This is what i did, i stirred the sugar and butter until it was melted then i just left it alone on medium heat, i did stir once i saw the color change but for the most part left it alone, when it was the perfect color i did the water test it was brittle and perfect, i then poured it on prachment paper and stuck it in the frig, OMg it was good and tasted just that the candy bar...yummy very easy

Made this for New Year's Eve, came out decent. I was worried because it appeared that my butter was separating but I still went ahead and put it in the pan and finished the recipe. I think the toffee tasted a little overdone, next time I make it I will probably remove from the heat sooner. Overall people enjoyed this toffee and I will make again and will fine tune and adjust to make it even better. I think I will invest in a heavy-bottom pan before I make again. It appears from other reviews that this is key to a good toffee.

It's good, but if you don't have a candy thermometer like I didn't and are going by the instructions to let the mixture darken to a dark amber color, I think it's too much. It tasted a little burnt. Next time I make this I am going to cook it to a medium caramel color. Otherwise, it was good!

A co-worker brought these treats to the office yesterday and it was love at first taste. I didn't realize the recipe would be so easy! I got it right on the first try! I didn't change a thing. Thanks for a great recipe!

Excellent. If you don't have a candy thermometer like I didn't have, cook till amber brown as it says and drop some in cold water... if is brittle and breaks it is done. I used chopped pecans. LOVED it.

I cannot believe I made this. I'm a cook, not a baker or confection maker and made this for Halloween. Super easy and WOW was I proud. Hint: I would omit salt as I used salted butter and it was a bit salty and a good rule without a candy thermometer, is cook it bubbly (not high but medium) until it is DARKER THAN PEANUT BUTTER, and that worked for me!!! EXCELLENT

Do not listen to any of those reviews that tell you to stir constantly. As soon as butter and sugar are incorporated, leave at medium heat and let the toffee work its magic. I stir occasionally and let the mixture reach 300. DO NOT STIR FREQUENTLY, I repeat, DO NOT STIR FREQUENTLY.

This toffee is incredible! It is amazing just as written, but I made a couple of changes, and it is even better than the gourmet stuff you find in the store. I skip the salt in the toffee (I always use salted butter, and the extra salt is unnecessary) After the mixture comes to a boil, I stir in a cup of slivered almonds. I use milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet, and chopped walnuts instead of almonds on top of the chocolate, because I already put almonds inside the toffee. After the chocolate has hardened, I add a drizzle of dark chocolate, and then another drizzle of white chocolate. The finished product is beautiful and delicious! My family cannot stop eating this, and everyone else who tries this toffee raves over it! I have to make about 5 batches over Christmas so that we will have enough. Thanks so much for sharing this...it is excellent!

First time ever making toffee. this recipe was good, but could use improvement. First the sugar/butter layer was a little thick also sticks to my teeth too much

I have seen this recipe on this site many times...I finally decided to try it and am I glad I did it was so easy and soooooo good I will be making these again...only thing I will do different is to melt my chocolate before putting it on.

WOW, This is so easy and the best toffee i have ever make. This is the first time ever for this recipe and no problems what so ever. Delicious...

To put it mildly... OMG! Awesome! Just like eating a Score or Heath bar... yummm! The only things I did differently was add a bit of vanilla extract (also helped the color) and rather than semi-sweet chips I used 1 cup milk chocolate chips and 1 cup semi sweet chips. I was afraid to use strictly semi sweet chips thinking it'd be too bland, this was the right mix! SO easy to make. I'll be making this again for Christmas the day before we fly home so everyone can share it. Thank you!! :)

I am giving this a 4 because of the instructions. I think the medium heat is too hot to start the melting process. I found that slow and low work the best. Also, stir the whole time.

I'm sorry, but I did not care for this recipe at all. The toffee itself I thought had no flavor and was almost butter color. It just tasted like butter to me. Also I like my toffee to have a hard crack to it which it was just kind of crumbly? I cooked it to 300 degrees hoping it would crack nicely but nope. I brought the toffee to work so everyone there would eat it and they all said it was good? I will go back to my other recipe I found on here. Thanks.

This is a great recipe. I use a cast iron dutch oven because the toffee doesn't burn as easily that way. I stir constantly and I don't use a thermometer. I've noticed that there is a very short window between when the toffee has that sickly hot butter smell (not appetizing at all) and when it smells like toffee. When you hit that perfect toffee point, you should see a tiny wisp of smoke come off the toffee. The first time this happened, I thought I was burning it and I pulled it off the burner immediately. But it was perfect! Then I stir in a teaspoon of vanilla and dump it out onto the parchment paper to cool.

This was the first time I've ever made toffee, so just bear that in mind. Even though I whisked the mixture the whole time, the butter still wound up separating like mad, and in the end I had to siphon it off when I poured the toffee into the pan. Also, it seemed to separate more the longer I cooked it, so I didn't get quite the color or taste I wanted. That said, this was a fairly easy recipe, and the toffee turned out pretty well. How can you go wrong with butter, sugar, and chocolate? :)

This is so simple I have enjoyed every calorie to the fullest. Being from Mississippi I substituted the almonds for pecans. To make it even better it is a simple 2,2,2,2. 2 cups sugar 2 cups butter 2 cups chocolate morsels 2 cups pecans. 1 cup pecans goes in toffee right before you pull it off the stove. Last cup goes on top. Just like making a roux you do need to stir constantly till you have the temp. correct

giving this 5 stars as this was very simple and it came out perfect! I've made toffee 2x's and both times used this recipe to the T and both times came out perfect! Thank you for posting this!!! LOVE IT

Super easy, and one of the best candies I have ever eaten. Out of all of the holiday baking I have done this year, this recipe has been the most popular and most requested.

SO SO AMAZING.... honestly as long as you have time to dedicated yourself to it, it is incredibly easy too... wow totally blow people away... I had everything measured and ready to go before i began.... i highly recommend doing this... I also whisked constantly until the toffee reached 295... that seemed to work perfect... great holiday recipe

Ok after 3 failed attempts i finally got it. For those of you like me that never make candy you need to use real butter. I was using margarine sticks and not sweet cream butter sticks. I didn't know there was a difference and it is a big difference. I used 2 sticks of sweet cream butter salted and 1 cup sugar and left the salt out since the butter was already salted. I stirred the whole time even after it came to a boil. It took 18 minutes after the first boil and then i poured it onto a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Then put the chocolate chips on and they didn't sink! Woohoo. Then sprinkled on the chopped almonds. I left out on counter for 2 hours and then broke apart. It finally turned out right.

Awesome - I love toffee and this is the best I ever had. It wasn't as hard and didn't stick to my teeth as much as commercially prepared toffee. I was a little fooled by how much time it takes (I thought it would be quick), but takes more like 45min of constant attention. I also had always been nervous about cooking anything that requires you to get to a certain temp, but this was my first try and I had success. I do suggest only a temp of 285, as I let it get a little higher and some pieces had a little burnt taste. I used a slotted spoon to stir at first to prevent the separation of the butter, and then later on used a spatula to get the sides and bottom clean on pan. I did not stir constantly but about once per minute for about 10 seconds each time. It took about 30min of a light boil to get to the right temp; The temp goes up very slowly. I did a half recipe and poured it out on a large baking sheet, and would probably use 2 sheets if I made it as written. I used mini chips for quicker melting. Do not pat the toffee with a paper towel to remove grease, as per another reviewer, you'll loose some toffee onto the papertowel. Also, don't pat the almonds down with a bagged hand, you'll loose some chocolate - instead use the back of a measuring cup. Can't wait to make again!