Butter Toffee Time

The taste and the smell of cooked sugar are really growing on me... It no longer stays simply sweet, but some of the sweetness gets replaced by pleasant smokiness and earthy bitterness that yield a much deeper flavor.  It's almost like a beautiful, "mahogany" state of sugar. : ]  The science of cooking sugar to different temperatures to achieve its various forms is quite fascinating also.  For toffee, the sugar-butter mixture gets cooked to 293 degrees F (145 C).  Then, you whisk in baking soda (for aerating) and some flavoring. Then, you pour out the mixture over some chopped nuts of your choice, all on a non-stick baking mat. Let it cool and harden. Next is the fun part of cracking it into pieces, and the toffee is ready to serve as is, to enrobe in chocolate, or to add into another delectable concoction. : ]

Butter Toffee with Almonds

3 sticks  unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup  granulated sugar

3 TBSP  dark corn syrup*

1/2 tsp  baking soda

pinch of salt

2 TBSP  rum

Chopped almonds

&

Candied thermometer

Non-stick silicon mat

1. Line a sheet pan with silicon mat, and spread the almonds evenly. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter, and then add the sugar and corn syrup.

* I only had light corn syrup, so I used 3 parts light corn syrup (2 1/2 TBSP) and about 1 part molasses (1/2~1 TBSP). I had pomegranate molasses, but it didn't make any noticeable flavor statement, which was good in this case. Adding molasses mimics the acidic component in dark corn syrup, and the acid is needed to activate the baking soda so that it foams and aerates the mixture.

3. Cook the mixture to 293 degrees F (145 C/ or dark amber in color) while whisking continuously to prevent burning.

4. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the baking soda, salt and rum.

5. Immediately pour the cooked-sugar mixture (caramel) over the almonds onto the silicon mat. 

6. Let cool and harden.

7. Break into desired pieces.

Almond Toffee Cookies

Almond Toffee Cookie Dough

1 stick & 3 TBSP  unsalted butter

1/2 cup  granulated sugar

1/2 cup  light brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp  vanilla extract

2  eggs

2 1/4 cup  all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp & 1/8 tsp  baking soda

1/8 tsp  baking powder

1/2 tsp  salt

7 oz (more/less)  Butter Toffee with Almonds, pounded into little pieces

1. In the mixer, cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy.

2. Add the vanilla and the eggs, slowly one at a time, until well incorporated.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the mixture.

4. Add in the toffee, and mix everything until just combined.

5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before use.

* When baking, use non-stick silicon mats or non-stick spray on parchment because the toffee melts in the oven, and becomes sticky and hard to get off the sheet pan/ regular parchment.

* These cookies spread out a lot in the oven. Ensure ample spacing between doughs.

* Bake until golden brown and enjoy. : ]

Apple Toffee Bars

So apple and toffee turned out to be a GREAT flavor combination, and the texture contrast between a crisp apple slice and a soft, chewy cookie layer made it such a fun bite. Ahhhh love seeing things go well together! I just baked the cookie dough flat and cut into bite-size rectangles, and for the apple slices, brushed them with fresh lemon juice to prevent oxidation.

Yayyy for toffeeeeeee!! : ]