Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Oh. My. YUM! Toffee!!!

Confession time. Candy thermometers scare me! Why? I don't know but anything that requires one just seems so hard. I mean it's a tool like many others in my kitchen. I have gadgets. I've asked for things as gifts that Mr. Chocolate swears I've made up until he goes to the store to ask for them and they're real. But I've always wanted to make the kinds of delectable candies you see this time of year that require this frightening tool and so I clip recipes and tuck them away. Like toffee for example.

Enter Jacqueline from her absolutely stunning and elegant blog Purple Chocolat Home who posted yesterday about a friend's family toffee recipe that DOESN'T REQUIRE A CANDY THERMOMETER! ( Caps to indicate my total giddiness...not shouting at you). And like the title of this post says: Oh. My. YUM! I just had to try this last night because, well, I did.  And if you're like me and hide in the corner at the thought of having to use a candy thermometer, come on out of the dark and try this recipe!  
I'm not going to post the recipe here  so you'll just have to go on over to get it ( and you'll stay and look around I promise you because she is AMAZING) . I didn't take step by step pics because I didn't want any evidece of failure. I watch CSI...no evidence, no failure! But I am pleased to say it worked just like the recipe said and I didn't mess it up!

Here it is all ready for cooling:
Do you know how hard it was not to stick my face in this?

I'm out of parchment paper so I used waxed paper which worked in a pinch but I think I'd rather use parchment paper. "Grandma's" recipe called for pecans but I didn't have those so used almonds. Here's the final product:
A little goes a long way so I cut these into smaller pieces
And most important of all....it earned the Mr. Chocolate double thumbs up seal of approval :)

15 comments:

  1. haha! I have the same fear of candy thermometers;-)

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  2. That makes 3 of us!! I used to reject every recipe that called for a thermometer. I do own one now, but its usage is so particular. So not my style! This recipe looks fantastic!

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  3. lmao at this post. very entertaining. and your toffee looks DIVINE.
    Merry Christmas

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  4. Oh my, I need some of that NOW!

    Kelly

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  5. Whoo! Toffee for dummies! Thanks to you both!

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  6. NUMMY!! My mouth is watering and I may have to go find a piece of chocolate!

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  7. Oh wow how scrummy.... Annette x

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  8. Oh this is like one of my favorite things my mom makes at Christmas! SO YUMMY!

    Totally agree, thermometers scare me to : )

    Paual

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  9. Perhaps we could start a support group for our fear? We could serve this amazing toffee that you made! It looks perfect!

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  10. I saw a link to your site on Dizzy C's blog and being a chocoholic myself simply had to pay you a visit. A great site, I've enjoyed my visit, best wishes PW

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  11. Candy thermometers aren't that bad - except it the stupid glass ones are prone to cracking. I am hoping my husband gets me the digital one that was on my wish list on Amazon.

    I love homemade toffee - I will have to check out the recipe.

    Thanks for sharing it!!

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  12. I just had a run in with a candy thermometer! Yeah for recipes not needing them!

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  13. So glad I caught this post!!! I am so relieved it turned out. My SIL tried and she didn't cook it long enough. I had 5 ladies over on Friday and we all made it, I had them do every step so they were confident. Of course the first batch mine, sugared and so we were extra careful to wash down the sides of the pan, even doing it a 2nd round and none of theirs sugared. They have all eaten all of theirs already and are ready to make more! Loved that you tried it!!!

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