Recipe: Sarah Levy's Decadent Almond Toffee (chocolate-dipped)

SARAH LEVY'S DECADENT ALMOND TOFFEE

"It doesn't matter who's making the dinner. No one in their right mind would turn down a box of handmade chocolate-almond toffee. This candy has a one-month shelf life, which is great news for your hostess - you can make it a gift that keeps on giving by writing the recipe on a note card and including it with the gift."

1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, warmed to room temperature
2 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup light corn syrup
2 pounds slivered almonds, toasted, divided use*
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (for dipping)

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

TO MAKE THE TOFFEE:**
Place the butter in a saucepan and melt it on low heat. Add the sugar, salt, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup, and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until the mixture reaches 260 degrees F.

Add 1/8th of the almonds and cook until the mixture reaches 305 degrees F; remove from heat.

Using an offset spatula, remove the toffee from the saucepan and spread it on 2 of the lined baking sheets to cool.

Once the toffee has cooled completely, break it up into smaller pieces and place it in a bowl. To speed up the cooling process, you can place the toffee in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes. (I don't recommend putting it in the refrigerator because of the condensation factor there.) It's up to you how big or small you would like your pieces to be. I personally like them to be on the smaller side, because you get a better chocolate-to-toffee ratio. Keep in mind that the pieces will get bigger once they are dipped in chocolate.

Reline the baking sheets you cooled the toffee on with parchment paper.

Grind or finely chop the remaining 1 1/4 pounds of toasted almonds with a knife. Spread them on 1 of the 3 lined baking sheets.

TO DIP THE TOFFEE IN THE MELTED CHOCOLATE:
Melt the chocolate in your microwave at 50% power for 3 to 5 minutes (in 1-minute increments, stirring well in between). The chocolate should reach 90 degrees F when thoroughly melted.

Using your left hand, pick up each piece of toffee and dip it into the chocolate. Wipe off the excess chocolate and place the piece of toffee on the tray containing the chopped almonds. Using your right (chocolate-free) hand, quickly cover the chocolate-covered toffee with the almonds.

Once the chocolate has set (after about 15 minutes), you can transfer the toffee pieces to the remaining lined baking sheet (feel free to pile them on top of each other). If the chocolate isn't set by 15 minutes, you can pop it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Do not refrigerate, because the condensation in the refrigerator will harm the texture of the toffee.

*HOW TO TOAST THE ALMONDS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and toast your 2 pounds of slivered almonds by roasting them on a dry baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

**Note: Make the toffee at least a day before you plan to finish the recipe to ensure that the toffee has cooled completely before dipping it in chocolate.

TIPS:
- To ensure that the toffee is thoroughly cooked, place a tiny amount of it onto a heatproof plate using a small offset spatula or spoon. Once it has completely cooled, take a bite. It should be crunchy, and it should not stick to your teeth.
- If you want to save your nails from becoming embedded with chocolate, I suggest that you wear gloves during the dipping process.
- The corn syrup in this recipe is critical because it helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing. That's necessary because you don't want lumpy sugar balls to form in your smooth, beautiful toffee.
- Be sure to set aside and freeze some of this toffee (without chocolate) to have it on hand when making cookies. Remove the desired amount of toffee from the batch before you dip it in chocolate.

Makes 3 1/4 pounds toffee
From: Sweetness: Delicious Baked Treats for Every Occasion by Sarah Levy
Source: ACH Food Companies, Inc.