Homemade gift idea #4 - Toffee Delight

Well here we are again friends for another Friday gift idea. Today is Toffee Delight and it is really good. If you like Heath candy bars, you'll like this one.

Supply list:

1 c. butter or margarine (plus a little more for buttering a cookie sheet)

1 1/3 c. sugar

1 T. light corn syprup

1/4 c. water

4-oz. milk chocolate bar

8- oz. package pecan pieces ( if using a bag that is very fine pieces , you won't need the whole bag)

candy themometer - I'll teach you how to test without one if you don't have one.

Using a medium sized heavy saucepan ( it will boil over in a small one) , melt butter , then add sugar,corn syrup and water. Insert candy themometer and cook , stirring often until mixture reaches "hard" crack stage, 300 degrees. If you don't have a candy themometer, wait until the mixture is pretty golden brown and thickening. Use a spoon and drop a tiny bit of the mixture in very cold water. Wait a minute and take the piece out and try to break it. If it bends it is at the "soft" crack stage and it isn't ready. If it breaks when you try to bend it, it's at the "hard" crack stage and it's done. Just keep testing in cold water until it reaches "hard" crack stage if it wasn't ready the first time. REMEMBER, you're working with quite a bit of sugar and this mixture will get very hot ,very fast. I highly recommend you don't do any taste testing, you'll burn the heck out of your tongue!

Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet and spread evenly. You'll need to work quickly at this stage because it will set quickly as it cools and will be harder to work with. It may pull away from the edges and corners a little ,but that's ok as long as you have almost the entire pan covered. Cool completely on the counter top using potholders or a wooden cutting board (to protect the counter) and not in the fridge.Keep flat to insure an even set.

When cooled completely, melt chocolate and sread over the top. Sprinkle on the pecan pieces. Chill until hard and break into pieces. I twist my cookie sheet like plastic ice trays, to give myself a starting point. Line a decorative tin with wax paper and fill the tin. This is a great recipe for giftgiving and just about anyone will just love it.

That's it for today. Hope you enjoy trying out the recipe.

'til next time,

Sharlotte