My Great Grandma's English Toffee

I am about to make some really bold claims about this recipe, but here it goes. THIS is the best toffee you will ever eat. It is addicting, buttery, and crunchy; heaven in a bite.

This toffee is my great grandmother's recipe which means that it really is tried and true. There is something about making it, eating it and sharing it that makes me feel connected to my great grandmother in a way that I can't even describe. I am sure she would have been proud to see this post on my blog.

That being said, this recipe (meaning the process of making it) is not for pansies. Be prepared for blood, sweat, and tears peeps.

Your arms are going to hurt  like heck from stirring. Your legs are going to get tired of standing over such a hot hot pot for so so so long. At some point you might start cursing and screaming and wondering why you ever began this process in the first place.

From start to finish, it is going to be long time before you can eat this yummy goodness. 

Don't start if you can't finish.

Don't be tempted to turn up the heat. It won't speed things up. In fact, high heat will probably just make your toffee taste burnt and that's just gross.

I know I am making this sound daunting and scary, but if you do make this toffee I can promise you one thing: a whole lotta love.

You'll love the toffee. The toffee will love you. The people who you give it to will worship the ground you walk on. Trust me. In the end, it is all worth it. Even if you only make it once a year DO IT. You'll be glad you did.

English Toffee

1 pound (4 cubes) good quality butter*

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

1 (7 oz) Hershey's milk chocolate bar, coarsely chopped

Butter a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle half of your chopped nuts across the buttered jelly roll and set the rest aside. 

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over a low to medium heat. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a slow low rolling boil. Constantly stir with a wooden spoon. Watch closely. Have a jar of peanut butter or a brown paper lunch sack right next to the pot while you stir. The color will go from yellow to tan to brown. When the brown color is exactly the same color as the peanut butter or paper lunch sack, remove pot from heat. Add the vanilla and pour evenly over the nuts on the jelly roll pan. 

Immediately sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the hot toffee and let it soften and melt. Use an offset spatula or a knife to smooth the chocolate evenly over the toffee. Sprinkle the rest of your chopped nuts over the melted chocolate. When its cooled and the chocolate is set, just break into random pieces.

Recipe Source: My Great Grandma, Annie Van Leeuwen

*at some point during the hour-or-so long cooking process the butter will separate slightly from the mixture. By the time it turns peanut butter colored, the butter will return back into the mixture IF and only if you have used good quality butter. Lower quality butters contain more water and will stay separated from the sugar. This is why low quality butters are not a desirable choice for the making of this toffee.

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