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Best Old Fashioned Butter Toffee Recipe (AKA English Toffee)

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5 from 3 reviews

This melt-in-your-mouth classic English Butter Toffee is rich, smooth, buttery, and snappy. This post contains ALL the tips for novice (and experienced) toffee-makers!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup Salted Butter
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Karo Syrup (Glucose Syrup can be used as a substitute)
  • 3 tablespoons Water
  • 1.5 cup Pecans or Almonds (Finely chopped, toasted if desired, divided into 1 cup and 1/2 cup.)

Instructions

Cue Up The Episode!

  1. Make sure you listen to Aimee, Theresa, Amanda, and their mother, Theresa's episode, 3 Sisters, 300 Pounds of Chocolate, and The Mom Who Started It All, while you make their delicious toffee!

Make The Recipe

  1. Melt butter slowly over medium heat, being careful not to burn or brown.
  2. Add sugar and stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until well combined.
  3. Add water and syrup.
  4. Add candy thermometer and continue stirring.
  5. Cook over medium heat until it reaches 280-285 degrees.
  6. OPTIONAL STEP (See note): Add 1 cup of nuts and cook while stirring continuously for 3 minutes.*
  7. Allow the mixture to reach 300-310 degrees, Fahrenheit [150-155 Celsius].
  8. Pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet and spread with a spatula to the desired thickness. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
  9. Spread melted or tempered chocolate over the toffee, sprinkle with nuts, and allow it to cool.
  10. If desired, flip the toffee over and repeat the previous step on the other side.
  11. Break the toffee into bite-size pieces.

Notes

  • Make sure you listen to their episode 3 Sisters, 300 Pounds of Chocolate, and The Mom Who Started It All, while you make their toffee!
  • If you're a novice toffee maker, don't add the nuts while cooking. It risks lowering the temperature too drastically, which can cause splitting. Rather, add the nuts after cooking. Alternatively, you can sprinkle them on the parchment paper, then pour the hot toffee on top.
  • Never dip your fingers into the hot toffee or taste it without cooling it on a spoon.
  • If the mixture begins to separate (where the butter is leaking out), remove from heat, add a tiny bit of water, and stir vigorously for a few minutes.
  • If you prefer a sticky, tacky, or chewy toffee, only heat to a maximum of 290-295°F (145°C).

Nutrition