Scottish Toffee
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Author Notes: I make batches of this during the holidays and have done so for so many years that I didn't have a recipe written out. Folks ask to be added to my toffee list and are prompt to remind me if I'm a little late in my deliveries. The December holidays at our house mean batch after batch of toffee-making. I could make this in my sleep! I taught my mother how to make this, and we enjoyed making it together once my folks moved to San Diego in 1988. (I've included a photo of our first "California Christmas" together.) After she died, it took me three years before I could bear to make toffee and I renamed it "Scottish Toffee" in honor of her MacPherson roots. For me, this recipe is all about giving and sharing, everything I love about cooking and being in my kitchen, just as women in my family have always done. - Lizthechef
Serves one cookie sheet's worth
- 1 cup unsalted butter ( 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, generously packed
- 1 teaspoon best quality vanilla
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( one and a half packages) such as Ghirardelli
- 1 cup finely chopped almonds
- good quality sea salt (optional)
- Put half the nuts and half the chocolate chips onto a cookie sheet.
- Cook butter and brown sugar over medium high heat in medium-sized pot, using a candy thermometer, to "hard crack" stage, 300 degrees F. Stir constantly. This will take about 15 minutes. Using a copper pot allows you to cook at a higher temperature without burning the caramel.
- Remove pot from heat and quickly add salt and vanilla.
- Carefully pour caramel mixture over the mix of nuts and chocolate. Sprinkle remaining chocolate over hot mixture. When melted, smooth out with back of large spoon. Sprinkle remaining nuts and gently press into the toffee. If you like salted caramels, you may want to sprinkle some good quality sea salt on top of the candy.
- Freeze one hour before breaking into pieces for storage - or snacking.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Holiday Confection
- This recipe was entered in the contest for The Recipe You Want To Be Remembered For
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Halloween Treat
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Movie Snack
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Edible Gift
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over 1 year ago Lizthechef
I suggest to use "medium-high" heat in my recipe - wonder if you did this? I just made 20 batches - no problems - except I'm pooped ;) Sorry it didn't work for you. Couldn't you stir it together?
over 1 year ago lovelola
Uh oh- my attempt ended up in the separation of the oil from the mixture as well. It happened around 250 degrees of slow heat in a heavy pan. It looked beautiful up until that point- I have no clue what went wrong...
over 1 year ago woody
Good. Should enter contest with this.
over 1 year ago Niknud
Love the story and the toffee sounds delicious - going on the holiday baking rotation because when all of these amazing cooks are saying the same thing you know it's got to be a winner!
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Thanks, I just made my first batch - here come the holidays!
over 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Yay! I'm glad you re-posted this. I'm planning on making it for my food52 potluck.
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Wonderful - have a great potluck! I'm flying to the Bay Area in 2 weeks for one too.
over 1 year ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I love this recipe, too! Have a great time, both of you! We should think of a way to have a virtual potluck so we can all meet each other sort of in person.
over 1 year ago Love Baking
Message for Sandy - just wanted to let you know that I had the same problem with the mixture separating and going oily as the temperature increased! You are not alone! I resolved it by using a different pan, and also not getting to the exact temperature - makes the texture a little different, but still works. Liz - a fab combination of nuts and chocolate - love how the choc melts. I put milk choc on the bottom, and dark choc on the top, with 3/4 almonds and 1/4 Brazil nuts, and these are what I had to hand. Thanks for the great idea - I will make again and again. So moreish!
over 1 year ago Chloe Skinner
Hey there, I have a nut allergy and was wondering if there would be anything I could swap for the almonds? :)
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Why not just omit them?
over 1 year ago Love Baking
I agree - just omit them. Or, what about raisins or dried cranberries, or even dried apricots with white chocolate, perhaps? I am going to try this.
over 1 year ago catfurisgood
Looking for a wonderful recipe to send my son who is away at college. It makes me feel like I can still do something for him. Thanks so much for sharing.
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Sure! You might want to wait for the cool weather before sending this through the mail, though...
about 2 years ago lorigoldsby
lovely story, I understand the need to put space between your mother's passing and the making of the toffee...I went thru something similar when Gran passed. Amazing how when you pick it up again, it feels like you reconnect with them?
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Gosh, so sorry this comment was not picked up in my email. Yes, the reconnection can be powerful!
about 2 years ago Oui, Chef
Liz - this is my Mom's favorite candy and I can't tell you how excited I am to have found this recipe. Mother's Day is right around the corner, and she'll be getting a double batch. - S
over 1 year ago Lizthechef
Sorry I missed this, Steve, as I wasn't getting comments fed into my email through some error. Hope your Mom liked the toffee!
about 2 years ago lapadia
Yum, thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe with us, again! Lovely...
about 2 years ago Bevi
This is a killer toffee recipe. I'm glad I finally caught it, what, a year later??
about 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
We spread this over matzo for Passover. Deadly good. Hope you had a great holiday.
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
Wow - do you do this while the toffee is still hot or break it up and add it once it has hardened? Most creative, dear drbabs!
about 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
My daughter-in-law made it. She spread the warm caramel over the matzo and the chocolate over that and sprinkled the whole thing with sliced almonds. Then refrigerated it so it would harden quickly. It was so wonderful, I had trouble making myself stop eating it.
about 2 years ago TasteFood
This is such a great recipe, Liz!
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
Thanks, Lynda, some holiday seasons it feels as though my epitaph will read, "She made toffee - lots of it."
about 2 years ago dymnyno
I love this recipe and I especially love peeking into your album of family events of long ago!
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
It was such a happy Christmas - thanks, Mare.
about 2 years ago TiggyBee
This is really sweet Liz. And although I didn't get a chance to make it when I first commented, I'm enjoying re-reading this lovely recipe. xox
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
I only make it between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so you can wait too ;)
about 2 years ago TiggyBee
oops, I did make this! I was thinking salted caramels. Still, your head note is lovely. : )
about 2 years ago CarolinaEpicurean
Sweet story! Can i be added to your list? ;-)
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
Sure ;)
about 2 years ago wssmom
What a lovely, lovely story (I literally got teary-eyed at the end!) Thank you so much for sharing it (along with the AMAZING recipe!)
about 2 years ago Lizthechef
Thanks - I forgot to add how I collect tins all year long...
over 2 years ago Raquelita
did i mention i used toasted hazelnuts? yummmm
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Fabulous idea!
over 2 years ago Raquelita
my butter did ooze out a little from the caramelizing sugar while boiling, but a rapid stir right before pouring over the chocolate and nuts was a good technique, plus i didn't use the last little tablespoon of butter left in the pot. i'm sure there's a food science explanation dealing with the moisture content of the air and the butter and the amount of packing you did (how many sugar molecules there were). suffice it to say that if it separates, it's not destined for the trash! that's a lot of ingredients! plus mine only took about 10 minutes to get to 300...
over 2 years ago japanna
I sprinkled yuzu zest in between the toffee and the chocolate for a twist. Not sure how everyone would like it, especially if you're expecting traditional flavor, but I think it added a nice fragrance.
Also, I did this without a thermometer. It's just as easy to drop a little into a cup of cold water to see whether it's reached the hard crack stage.
thank you so much for sharing liz, it took all of 20 minutes for me to make this!
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
I should know what yuzu zest is but I have to confess that I don't! Glad to read of your success...
over 2 years ago nslade
Sandy,
If you're still trying and having separation problems, the likely problem is that you are heating too fast. The thicker pan should help this, but try lowering the heat a bit as well.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Sandy, try an All-Clad saucepan. I use a digital candy thermometer. I admire your stick-to-it attitude. I have never known of such toffee-making problems :(
over 2 years ago TiggyBee
Sandy the trooper!! I made these about a month or so go and it was my first attempt at candy making. I found the pan is the key. Heaviness is the factor. For me at least. Hope this helps, it's worth it. Great recipe!!
over 2 years ago Sandy Castle
It is not a heavy pan and it is a new thermometer. I'm doing a trial run since it's a new recipe and we're making several candy recipes Sunday at a friend's house. I'll bet she has a heavier pan we could use. Good excuse for a new pan! Thanks for your quick response. My husband wondered if it could be that the butter was an "off" brand. What do you think of that theory?
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Yes, a heavier pan - not large either, just a regular 1 and 1/2 - 2 qt. Your husband is brilliant - go out and buy good quality unsalted butter - I buy (organic) either at Trader Joe's or the 365 house brand at Whole Foods. I have been pondering about the mixture separating. I have made over 100 batches of this over the years - more probably - and never had that happen. Good luck and please let me know how it goes...
over 2 years ago Sandy Castle
Okay, six batches down the drain. I switched to another saucepan, this one seemed heavier...a Farberware stainless steel aluminum clad. My thermometer was new, but today it was leaking (I have a concrete countertop so I think it was actually okay the other day, but hit the counter after that). Today I bought a new thermometer and Land O'Lakes butter. The last two batches did the same thing. The first batch I used the old butter just so I could try to figure out what was really the problem. However, by a process of elimination, it HAS to be the pan! I need new pots anyway, so tomorrow I will purchase them! I WILL get this toffee made. Story to be continued.... ;o)
over 2 years ago Sandy Castle
Okay, I've made a disaster of this! Three batches down the drain. When the candy thermometer gets to about 275 the butter separates from the mixture. I used light brown sugar and unsalted butter. The pan I'm using is stainless steel. I'm using an electric stove and I have it set on medium (5). The third time I tried stirring more slowly, per another website suggestion, but it didn't make a difference. This website also suggested perhaps it could be that my kitchen is hot and humid. It's not, it's very cool. The pan I'm using is stainless steel.
Any ideas?
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Is your sauce pan heavy and of good quality? My toffee-making improving when I switched to an All-Clad pan, then I was given a copper pan that allows me to cook it at a higher temp without scorching it. Nothing is wrong with your kitchen, I'm certain. Are you stirring pretty constantly? I never heard of the mixture separating. Is your thermometer new/accurate? What a nightmare - so very sorry. I just made a batch - wish I could send it to you!
over 2 years ago TiggyBee
I think I'm going to give this a whirl but am wondering if regular chocolate chips would work? I don't have semi-sweet on hand.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
It might be a little sweet for my taste but give it a try. I'd be sure to garnish with flaked sea salt to off-set the sweetness of the chocolate.
over 2 years ago TiggyBee
I think you're right about the sweetness factor, semi-sweet is definitely the way to go, thanks!!
over 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I can see where this week's contest is going to be very dangerous. Love this!
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
This makes up for suggesting we skip dessert last week ;)
over 2 years ago lapadia
Toffee & chocolate = yum!
over 2 years ago Sagegreen
I love the hint of the salt, too. This sounds like the recipe to follow for toffee!
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
My friends fight to get on my holiday "toffee list" ;)
over 2 years ago TiggyBee
This sounds yummy!!
over 2 years ago Karen_and_Charlie
I've never had good luck with toffee but this sounds so good that I am definately trying it.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
It is easy, just takes time to get the toffee to "hard crack" stage.
over 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
This sounds great! I am intimidated by toffee/caramel.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
You could make this with your eyes shut! Very simple. Thanks for your earlier comment - cannot edit once recipe has been posted in a previous contest...
over 2 years ago dymnyno
Liz, I love this recipe...it brings back memories.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Oh, I'm itching to re-write the headnote...
over 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
you can! go to the recipe and somewhere near the picture it says "edit the recipe" or something like that.
over 2 years ago testkitchenette
I don't think that one cookie sheet's worth would be enough!
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
This is the only killer chocolate/toffee/sea salt recipe I offer.
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
This would be a special Halloween treat too...
over 2 years ago Lizthechef
Note the novice food 52'er unable to properly edit...
about 3 years ago Maefly
I meant I've HAD her toffee ; )
about 3 years ago Maefly
I've Liz the chef's toffee and it is to die for...