Classic English Toffee Almonds (Printable Version)

Buttery toffee layered with creamy milk chocolate and topped with toasted almonds for a balanced crunch.

# What You Need:

→ Toffee Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 2 tablespoons water
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

06 - 7 ounces milk chocolate, chopped or in chips
07 - 3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

# Directions:

01 - Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
02 - In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, sugar, salt, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until butter melts and mixture is smooth.
03 - Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mixture turns deep golden and reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
04 - Remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla extract. Immediately pour hot toffee into prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
05 - Let toffee sit for 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped milk chocolate evenly over hot toffee. Allow chocolate to soften for 2 minutes, then gently spread into an even layer.
06 - Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over melted chocolate, pressing in lightly.
07 - Allow toffee to cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours or refrigerate for faster setting.
08 - Once fully set, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a luxury candy shop creation but comes together in under an hour with basic pantry staples.
  • The contrast of buttery crunch, smooth chocolate, and nutty almonds makes people think you've spent hours on something that's actually quite straightforward.
  • Once you nail the candy thermometer moment, you'll have a showstopper dessert that stores beautifully for weeks.
02 -
  • Without a candy thermometer, you'll struggle—eyeballing the hard crack stage is unreliable, and even a few degrees matters between perfect toffee and burnt syrup.
  • The 2-minute rests between spreading the chocolate and adding almonds sound arbitrary but they're essential; too soon and the toffee cracks, too long and everything hardens before you can work with it.
03 -
  • Always use a heavy-bottomed saucepan because thin pans create hot spots that burn your toffee unevenly.
  • If your chocolate doesn't spread smoothly after 2 minutes, let it sit another minute—it'll soften without becoming too thin.
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