Recipe: Easy Baked Toffee (topped with chocolate)

EASY BAKED TOFFEE

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts, divided use*
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Place butter and brown sugar in a heavy, medium saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Stir in 2 cups of the nuts. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips; when softened, spread evenly over toffee. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup nuts on top. Let cool completely.

When cooled, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

*Pecans, almonds, pistachios or macadamias may be substituted for the walnuts.

Makes about 1 pound, or 60 pieces
Source: Linda Cicero, McClatchy Newspapers, December 2010