Toffee

Sugared Almonds: Preheat oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix in 1 tablespoon water and stir until you get a glaze. Add almonds and toss until evenly coated. Spread almonds evenly on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and toast 8–10 minutes or until shiny and light golden. Remove almonds from oven and let cool completely, then give them a coarse chop. Set aside. This is a good time to chop and measure your chocolate.

Line a half sheet pan (13x18 inches) with a silicone baking mat or generously butter the pan. I highly recommend the baking mat for ease of removal and cleaning.

Heat a large, 2-quart ceramic pot over low heat for 30 seconds. Rub a stick of butter over the bottom and sides. Then add that stick of butter to the pot along with the remaining butter. Carefully add the sugar to the very center of the pan and pour the water slowly on top of the sugar. Add the salt. We want to avoid any sugar crystals getting on the sides of the pan.

Keeping the mixture over low heat, use a wooden spoon to stir slowly and gently to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. It should take 10–12 minutes to completely dissolve the sugar (low and slow is the key here). Use a wet pastry brush to brush any sugar off the sides of the pan. A light-colored pan helps you to see if any sugar is clinging to the sides. Near the end of the 10–12 minutes, the mixture will likely start boiling a little.

Increase heat to a little over medium (but not quite medium high). Add candy thermometer to the pan and make sure it’s not touching the bottom. From here on out, stir constantly at a low and even speed in the same direction. After about 8–10 minutes, the mixture will come to a boil and slowly start to take on color. Cook the toffee to hard-crack stage (300°F at sea level) (In high-altitude areas, such as Utah where I live, cook to 285–290°F). Watch it carefully because it may reach the temperature quickly. Once it reaches hard-crack stage, pour it onto the prepared sheet pan. Working quickly, tilt the sheet pan from side to side and up and down to get the candy in an even layer and to fill most of the pan. It’s okay if it goes up the sides a little.

Let Toffee sit at room temperature until it is firm to the touch but still hot, 5–8 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on the Toffee. The chocolate melts quickly; let it melt for a few minutes, then use an offset spatula to evenly spread the chocolate over the Toffee. Quickly and gently press in chopped and sugared almonds. Let Toffee stand at room temperature until completely firm, about 6–8 hours. When completely firm, use your hands to break it into bite-sized pieces.