I am begged for this recipe whenever I serve it. My advice: Invest in a good candy thermometer and always, always, always use good ingredients. Do not use margarine as a substitute for the butter; the water content is too high.
This is superb. A couple of suggestions: (1) Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the mixture at the beginning - it cuts down on the sweetness; (2) When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat one notch from medium and stir occasionally - I've had no problem with a burned taste; (3) As others have said, buy a good candy thermometer - I purchased a digital candy thermometer from Williams Sonoma and love it; (4) Use a silicon spoon to stir the mixture - it wont stick to the spoon; (5) Put the jelly roll pan covered with aluminum foil or Release on one side of the stove, and turn on the buners to medium low. When the mixture is poured onto the hot pan, the pan stays hot and the mixture is easy to spread. Use the back of a large spoon sprayed with Pam to spread the mixture; (6)I've tried the almonds per the recipe, toasted walnuts, unsalted roasted peanuts and toasted pecans. My favorite is the toasted pecans. I use 1 1/2 cups of toasted pecans in the mixture, and sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted pecans on the top; (7) I've used milk chocolate, a mixture of milk chocolate with peanut butter chips (when I used the peanuts), semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. They all work well. It's a matter of taste.
Read MoreI've made this recipe (3) times in the past week the results were interesting 1st time - wrong size pan, inaccurate candy thermometer and the plastic mixing spoon began to melt. 1st batch in the garbage. 2nd batch - awesome - 3rd batch - nuts not toasted long enough so it tasted gummy and when I poured the mixture in the lined pan it began to harden before I could spread it to the sides. When this recipes works the taste is fantastic - when it doesn't it really doesn't.
Read MoreThis is superb. A couple of suggestions: (1) Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the mixture at the beginning - it cuts down on the sweetness; (2) When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat one notch from medium and stir occasionally - I've had no problem with a burned taste; (3) As others have said, buy a good candy thermometer - I purchased a digital candy thermometer from Williams Sonoma and love it; (4) Use a silicon spoon to stir the mixture - it wont stick to the spoon; (5) Put the jelly roll pan covered with aluminum foil or Release on one side of the stove, and turn on the buners to medium low. When the mixture is poured onto the hot pan, the pan stays hot and the mixture is easy to spread. Use the back of a large spoon sprayed with Pam to spread the mixture; (6)I've tried the almonds per the recipe, toasted walnuts, unsalted roasted peanuts and toasted pecans. My favorite is the toasted pecans. I use 1 1/2 cups of toasted pecans in the mixture, and sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted pecans on the top; (7) I've used milk chocolate, a mixture of milk chocolate with peanut butter chips (when I used the peanuts), semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. They all work well. It's a matter of taste.
I love this recipe! Made 20 lbs this year as gifts. Couple of hints: * The new "Release Foil" is much easier to get off than regular. * I double the recipe (but just use 1 regular-size bag of milk chocolate) and use the bottom of a broiler pan. * Don't accidentally use semi-sweet! * I prefer sliced almonds, and crush a few over the chocolate before it hardens to make it prettier. * BIG tip: I've ruined a few pans over the years making this. I'm not a chemist, but the candy still tastes great and my pans are not scorched if I stir it constantly, even after it boils. In fact, when I have NOT stirred it, it tastes burned. It's inconvenient to stand there stirring, but worth it to me. * I also HIGHLY suggest getting a good thermometer! * This year I made it on a cold day and set the pans out on the screened-in porch, so didn't have to mess with rotating through refrigerators! Yum Yum!
Almond crunch is fantastic, and very addictive! It is very easy to make and is delicious. One thing I would recommend is to extend the foil over at least two ends of the jelly roll pan before you pour in the crunch, because when you tilt the pan to spread it around, the foil just kind of moves with it. This is going to be my holiday gift for the neighbors this year.
FANTASTIC!! This was my first attempt at making candy and it was so easy. I brought it to a party and all my friends LOVED it!! I enjoyed it so much I made a second batch just for myself. Tip: I placed the roasted almonds on the jelly roll pan and poured the toffee over them, instead of mixing the almonds into the toffee. After I break it into pieces, I keep the candy in the fridge so the chocolate stays firm.
Yum! This recipe has an addictive caramel-flavored crunch, and is an interesting alternative to peanut brittle. In fact, I like it better because it's crunchy without being too hard. To avoid burning (which is what I almost did on my first try), start out with your burner at a medium-low setting and increase the heat as needed to reach the right temperature.
Made this for Christmas and everyone loved it. I made it twice and found that 300 degrees was a bit too much in the heavy pot I used. The second time I made it I cooked to only 295 degrees and it turned out better. Guess you need to watch it closely when it nears the right temperature. VERY GOOD! Everyone wanted the recipe just as you had said!
I've made this recipe (3) times in the past week the results were interesting 1st time - wrong size pan, inaccurate candy thermometer and the plastic mixing spoon began to melt. 1st batch in the garbage. 2nd batch - awesome - 3rd batch - nuts not toasted long enough so it tasted gummy and when I poured the mixture in the lined pan it began to harden before I could spread it to the sides. When this recipes works the taste is fantastic - when it doesn't it really doesn't.
Very good and easy. Read the other reviews and heating the jelly roll pan was a great idea. Spread quickly with a pan-sprayed spoon. Just a thinner toffee I think makes a better candy. I also stirred slightly after it came to a boil and it didn't affect the end result. I don't know that I would have been able to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan if I hadn't.
Incredible! My husband loves it so much that he had me make gifts of it for 15 people at work for Christmas! The only thing I would change about the original recipe is to stir the mixture frequently after it boils. The first time I made it, I did not stir it after it began to boil...but it burned (my husband still ate the entire batch). I halved the amount of chocolate chips on top and the amount of chocolate was fine. I agree with another reviewer who suggested to put sliced almonds on top of the chocolate (and press down lightly with a spatula so they stick better). It made the presentation much prettier. Thank you - this recipe will be a keeper!
Fantastic! I like thicker toffee so I used an 8x8 pan- great results. I also only take it to 275', because 300' seems to almost have a burnt taste. I use dark chocolate chips...yummm. I use the salted almonds in a can: toast as the recipes directs, then chop in the Cuisinart. I want to try putting some on top next time. Do use real butter. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is my favorite holiday treat. I've taken this candy to holiday parties and have given to co-workers as a gift.... I'm always asked for the recipe. I follow the recipe to the letter and never have a problem. Consistently excellent!
WARNING: These are soooo addictive!!! Love this recipe. Followed it exactly. Thanks for this Christmas candy keeper!!
This recipe is great. I read all the reviews first and took most of the suggestions to stir periodically, heat the pan, and cook to just under 300. But I also doubled the nuts in the recipe. And yep...everyone loves it!
Yummy!!! This is the best! It only lasted a day in the house and I had to make more for the holidays.
I made exactly as the recipe said and mine turned out very sugary and didn't taste like it hardened up the correct way. Won't make it again
This was a hit at a bake sale that I made it for. It was my first time making candy. I bought a cheap candy thermometer at Wal Mart, brought mixture to a boil, and stirred lightly while it boiled. I thought I was doing it wrong since it boiled for at least a half hour until it reached 285 degrees, then I took it off and followed directions. Came out awesome! Not sure if it would go quicker if I didn't stir it so much, but the end product was worth the time !
This was delicious. It was my first experience making candy of this type and it worked out great. I did follow others' advice and stir the boiling mixture. I also used pecans and semi-sweet chocolate as that's what I had on hand. It was a great combo of flavors and I know this would be just as good with the original ingredients.
Outstanding recipe!! I get GREAT reviews all the time and always requests for more! I make candy all the time, but ruined the first two attempts at this one. I found that the key is to slightly turn down (one notch as another reviewer suggested) the mixture once it does start to boil. I also leave the toasted pecans on the baking sheet and pour the mixture over it. After I spread out the chocolate, I sprinkle it with ground nuts (I always use pecans with this recipe). Rave reviews ever time!! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
This is the easiest, quickest, "yummiest" recipe! All our friends who have tried it, request the recipe. Instead of Almonds, I use pecans (chopped in chopper). I also put some chopped pecans on top of the melted chocolate (press lightly into chocolate).
Really great almond crunch recipe! I've never made it before but it tasted great. I followed another reviewers advice and added 1 tsp. salt to the first stage mixture. I'll try other nuts and chocolate chips next time thanks!
I thought this recipe was super easy. I used twice the amount in slivered almonds and crumbled crushed almonds on the top of the chocolate. Unclear how big of a jelly roll pan to use, I used a bigger tray, and the bark was thin and VERY tasty, but the chocolate kept falling off (even after it sat in the freezer for hours). I made a second batch in a smaller jelly roll pan and the bark came out much thicker, and the chocolate stuck nicely, but it definitely did NOT taste as good as a thinner bark. So I wonder what the trick is to having the thinner bark but keeping the chocolate sticking to the bottom layer. Anyway, it was the yummiest thing I have made in a while, and all my friends were impressed because the texture SEEMS sophisticated but they never knew it was so easy. I surely recommend it. YUM!
This was my first time ever making candy, and it was DELICIOUS!!!! I followed the advice of other reviewers and after the mixture started to boil, I turned down the heat one notch. It took a bit to get it to get to temperature(like 10 minutes or so), but I'm not sure how long it's supposed to take as I have never done this before. Tasted to me like a Heath Bar (chocolate covered english toffee) with almonds in it. I don't know what Almond Roca is so I couldn't tell you if it tasted like that or not. I also used only 1 1/2 cups of milk chocolate chips and that was enough. Overall, this was a VERY easy recipie for a first time candy maker. Having a candy thermometer was a must for me. I picked one up at Wegman's for $5.00. There not that expensive. (I didn't go digital though, those ran about $20.)
This was easy and so good! I used pecans though and I put them on the foil first, then poured my mixture. I found that a little easier than stirring them into the mixture then pouring.
This recipe was so easy with perfect results. Cooked to 190C over med/low flame, stirred once or twice, did not taste burnt at all. I live in Milan where corn syrup is impossible to find so I substituted honey. The "crunch" itself had an amazing consistency, barely, if at all does it stick in your teeth. Used the tips of parchment paper, poured cooked sugar over almonds onto a warmed tray & sprinkled crushed almonds on top (thanks to all tipsters) I'm giving it as Christmas gifts, can't wait to see what the Italians think, they don't sell candy like this where I live in Italy.
I made this recipe exactly as written and it came out horrible! I wasted a lot of chocolate on this recipe- it went in the garbage. Cooked it until the candy thermometer read 300 degrees and I think that was too long- it tasted burnt. I would think there is a problem with my thermometer, but I used another toffee recipe that required cooking it to 285 degrees and that one came out delicious!
This recipe was tasty and so easy to make. If you do not have a candy thermometer, as I don't, simply boil the sugar mixture until it starts to turn a brownish-beige color. With a spoon, pour a few drops into a bowl of cold water. If it forms into a small ball that can be stretched and snapped easily, it's ready to go. It cools quickly and I wasn't able to get it to spread completely in my jelly roll pan. I simply placed it in the oven at 350º for a few mins. and was then able to spread it completely and finish all the steps. Be sure to break into small pieces as this is very rich. Thanks, Heather!
I didn't know that a jelly roll pan was the same size as a cookie sheet so I used a smaller pan and got Almond CHEW instead. Next time will use the bigger pan and pecans instead.
I've made 5 batches, it always comes out perfect! Keep the jellyroll pan warm for easier spreading. I add more nuts on top so the chocolate doesn't melt on your fingers.
I have made this recipe for years for the holidays, **one tip for a richer toffee flavor, use BROWN sugar instead of white**, the flavor from the brown sugar way exceeds the original recipe.
Wonderful and easy. I ended up making 3 batches this year. mother in law sd it was the best - her favorite yet. I just sprayed the pan VERY LIGHTLY with butter flavored cooking spray and no sticking. Make sure to put the chocolate chips on right away or they will seperate from the candy in the refrig. Great recipe!
Unbelievable!! This recipe just disappears when I take it to functions. So easy and very yummy. One thing - I burned the pan in one spot by not stirring, the next time I stirred and it still turned out fine!
It really needs more than 5 stars!! I covered the cookie sheet with buttered foil, then I sprinkled a bit of ground almonds on that. Also I didn't have any milk chocolate chips so used Hershey bars. That worked well - after spreading the chocolate, I sprinkled a little ground almonds on top - yummy - made three batches for Christmas. Christmas night it was all gone. Thanks for sharing.
I gave out Christmas mugs filled with this as gifts last year...it was a HUGE hit! Almost every single person asked me for the recipe. It is so easy to make. I think this will be one of my staple baked goods each holiday season.
Unfortunately, I did not read the reviews, and wound up with burnt candy. I heated it to 300 degrees, as per my brand new candy thermometer, and did not stir. Due to the fact that the kitchen was filled with smoke and the candy had a dark color, I did not add the chocolate and let it harden. I tasted it, and threw the whole thing away. I made an almond crunch, similar to this one, last Christmas. That recipe did not call for toasting the almonds, and the chocolate was melted first, then spread on both sides. I couldn't find that recipe this year, and tried this one instead. Now that I think about it, I do seem to remember having to stir the candy constantly last year while it cooked. I'll keep looking for the old recipe, and if I can't find it, I might try this again, following the other reviewers suggestions and adapting it to mimic the old recipe.
Oh yeah, oh yeah. The first time I made this I followed the recipe exactly. The second time was yummier because I used 2x the amount of chocolate and my Anoose thought it was wonderful. I had my pudgy hubbie hold the thermometer and pour the toffee into the pan. He thought the dessert was yum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-mee. Oh yeah, oh yeah. It's great for pudgy humbbies everywhere! (and sensitive Anooses) --Oh yeah, oh yeah.
This was wonderful. I used pecans instead of almonds, and I put more chopped pecans on top of the chocolate.
Great recipe you must try it on top of some vanilla ice cream... Thank you Heather.
I made this the other night when some friends and relatives came over and everyone called me the next day for the recipe. Delicious!
Very very good! Needs much more almonds though. The second time I made this I used 2 cups and it couldn't have been more delicious!
My first batch came out great. I changed/replaced a couple of things. I used parchment paper instead of foil so the candy was easier to remove. I stirred in a little vanilla extract after the candy reached 295F when I also added the almonds. The milk chocolate layer melts easily even after you refrigerate esp when you hold it in your hands. I would recommend breaking it into smaller pieces so the time held in the hands is minimized.
Wonderful recipe!! Thank you Heather. I didn't have any milk chocolate chips, so I melted some Hershey Kisses and spread on top of candy. Worked very well.
This was the first time I attempted baking toffee and it was a HUGE hit! I bought a good candy thermometer and followed directions exactly! I will definitely make this again!
This recipe is great, but DO NOT follow the direction on not stirring it and Do not boil it to 300 unless you like burnt tasting candy. I made the mistake on not reading the reviews and my candy burnt and i had to throw my pan away cause i couldnt get the burnt smell out.Luckily it wasnt one one my Cuisinart pans. But I tried it again and stirred it constantly and only boiled it to 280 and it came out great. i made a batch with the chocolate and one without. Next time i will try it with pecans.Great recipe with the changes. From now on i will be reading the reviews before i make anything. Thanks.
did exactly as recipe suggests. I think the others might be using electric stove,...maybe, mine on medium heat didn't burn at all, I've made it ten times at least. Didn't stir at all during the hard crack stage, 300 comes out perfect. Can't stop eating it...thank you so much for a great recipe
I made four batches of this for christmas. I wanted to give it as gifts, but my family kept eating it all. I doubled the recipe and poured it into a large warmed jelly roll pan lined with parchment. I like it about 1/2 inch thick. No problems with sticking. I added crushed almond on top and 1/2 t. almond extract to the candy after I removed it from the heat. So fantastic. It will be a christmas tradition at our house.
I used almonds and cashews. My father in law loved it. I made it for Chrsitmas and it was a hit. Use a candy thermometer.It helps. Thanks...
Everyone I make this for, loves it. This is the best and easiest recipe and I make this for Christmas every year. Awesome!
This is awesome! I made this to give as gifts this Christmas. It is so delicious!
Wow! This turned out great... tender and crispy, not rock hard... very easy on the jaws. I used a 10x15 pan but there wasn't enough syrup to reach the ends of the pan. I was spreading it out so thin that I was afraid 2 cups of chocolate would overpower the candy, so I left it out. Maybe next time I'll try again with the chocolate, but start out with a double recipe.
Excellent recipe. Grandchildren and co-workers alike had nothing but rave reviews. I opted to use the family favorite walnuts rather than almonds and did reduce the amount of chocolate chips. I plan to use this recipe for group gatherings.
I'm new to candy making, and this was a very easy recipe to make! I personally wasn't happy with the taste, but everyone at the party loved it, and asked me for the recipe. I think it was the milk chocolate that I didn't like. I might try a different kind next time. Can anyone answer this question-I used unsalted butter. Is this right? The recipe doesn't specify.
Made this exactly as written and quite liked it but felt it lacked a depth of flavour. Changed the sugar to vrown and boy what a difference! Loved it that way and will continue making it with brown sugar instead of white.
This recipe was easy and delicious. I did take others advice and go to 275 instead of 300 and added 1.5 cups of peanuts and 1 tsp vanilla. It turned out very good. Thank you
It is my first time to use this recipe and I was expecting the result to be like my favorite Almond Roca. However, the color of the toffee was dark brown and not at all like ALmond Roca. Is this really how it should look? Or did I do something wrong?
Thanks Heather for a really easy, delicious recipe. Instead of adding the almonds to the toffee, I poured out the toffee, spread the chocolate on top, then sprinkled roasted, finely chopped almonds on top. Press the almonds into the chocolate so they will stick. My five year old wanted to help, but I would advise against making this with kids - the toffee gets way too hot. Enjoy!
Made for a great addition to my gift basket!
This turned out excellent! Will be adding this to my annual Christmas baking list. Stored out in garage over the holidays to make it last longer...even better when just brought into the house--doesn't stick to your molars as much!
This is terrific - my kids' favorite out of everything I've made so far this holiday season (quickbreads, cookies, rocky road). It wasn't hard at all, and didn't take very much time to get to the correct temperature. Thank you all who made suggestions... I followed the suggestion about hanging the foil over the side of the pan so you can hold onto it, and the one about using Reynold's Release. They were both great. I think I'll be making more of this tomorrow!! Thank you for the recipe!!
I really like this recipe - it reminds me of the Almond Roca candy. I did make a couple of small changes - one, I only brought the candy to a temp of 285 (275 is a little too low, and 300 is too high). I used finely chopped almonds instead of slivered ones. Then, after the candy has cooled for a little while, before putting on the chocolate, I scored the candy into rectangles. After spreading on the chocolate, I sprinkled chopped almonds on top of the chocolate, and refrigerated the candy. It was very easy to break into bite-sized rectangle pieces from the scoring.
I am so excited that this recipe turned out as I am new to the candy making. First time toffee maker. It turned out so wonderful. I took my time and made sure that my ingredients were all ready and made sure that the toffee had my full attention and boy did it turn out so fabulous. Thanks so much for such a great and EASY recipe. I am ready to make more!
I was really excited about the idea of this, however in order to get the candy to 300 degrees it burned on the bottom of the pan. I also managed to burn my finger with 300 degree candy while I tried to stop the burned part from flowing onto the pan. I think I'm done cooking for the night.
Made this candy for the first time. I used parchment paper instead of foil. Candy came right off the paper with no sticking.I took others advise & cook the mixture until it reached 275 instead of 300. The candy became chewy instead of crunchy. Next time I will follow recipe as written.
This stuff is great!!! I'm horrible with candy making and made this!! The only problem I have with it is that it sticks to the teeth pretty badly. My son will not eat it for that reason, but that's okay, more for mom and dad!!
I made this recipe last year for Christmas. It was very good, easy to make and I have added it to my holiday traditions!
Had a good time making the recipe, even though I might've moved too slow pouring it in the pan. Didn't spread as well as I'd like, but it was probably my own fault. Didn't affect the taste, it was AWESOME!!
A sure fire hit...I am new to candy making. This recipe was easy to follow and turned out great(even without a candy thermometer). Great tasting candy...
WOW!!!! What a treat! I had to hide it quickly after making it so I'd have some saved for the upcoming holidays. My whole family couldn't keep their fingers away! It has such a pleasant taste, just the perfect mix of almonds and chocolate. I actually added more almonds to give it more crunch. I will definately be using this for many occasions from now on!
The ingredients sounded great so I gave it a try...It is sooo good! My family loves it, Thank you for sharing it.
Made this for the holidays.Everyone liked it so much that I had to make more.
Excellent recipe for the holidays! My stepfather came to visit last Christmas and I had to make a batch to send home with him.
was a hit! as noted in the other posts a couple key things: heat the pan you are going to pour the mixture into, it helps so you can create a more even thin coating since you have more time before it starts to harden (makes for a better crunch), we did double the nuts, and one last thing i wish i had used - a silicone spatula. the mixture is quite sticky and hard to spread. i used a cheap candy thermometer and it worked great!
This was my first attempt making candy and this recipe was easy to follow and everyone loved it.
If I forget to make this recipe I'm in trouble. Make two batches. It goes fast. Worth the time it takes to make.
I have only two regrets. First-I wish I made more, second-I wish I found this recipe sooner. I can't believe how easy it was and how good the results were. I will be making more of this. Thanks so much.
Great Recipe!!! I made it for my friends and it was truly loved... A Tip that I thought made it better was putting it in the freezer untill serving time, It was a lot easier to eat, and it was really crunchy :)
Mmmmm yummy!! My first time making candy, and it turned out great without a candy thermometer!! I just boiled the mixture til it looked thick enough, and I used peanuts also.
SOOO good! The ONLY things we did different was using a candy thermometer and using dark chocolate, but only because I like it better than the milk choc. Thanks for the recipe!! It's amazing!
this recipe is the bomb diggity!!!!! so easy and so good. doesn't take much time and it's really hard to mess up.
Yummy! I took this to work and it was a big hit, everyone wanted the recipe. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
This turned out just perfect. I read quite a few reviews and took them into consideration. Glad I did.... *put the nuts (I used crushed pecans) on your pan and THEN put the mixture on top. *turn your burner down a couple points after it begins to boil. *always stir it - it's easy to burn *when spreading out your chocolate chips spray the spoon bottom with pam. It works!!! *crush pecans almost to a dust and put on top of the chocolate. Makes it look prettier. I will DEFINITELY make this again and again. It's delicious. A lot like a SKOR bar....yummy to the max!
I thought it was good but mine came out sort of gooey. Would not make again.
YUM! This is soooo good I can't wait to serve it this weekend! I also do not have a candy thermometer and it turned out perfect. My only question would be -how to break into pieces without the chocolate layer separating from the candy layer? My husband couldn't believe I made these myself! SO easy!
This is a great recipe.I have taken it to several holiday parties and it is always gobbled up. I followed the recipe exactly.
Wonderful recipe! Followed some ideas, and just spread the almonds in the pan and poured the toffee over it. Very easy and the almonds stayed in place, being evenly distributed throughout the candy. Didn't have jelly pan, so made in regular brownie pan. It was a perfect fit and I did not have to spread the toffee at all. Will be making as Christmas gifts.
Absolutely fabulous and sooo easy! Tastes like a Heath Candy bar more than like almonds.
