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In the world of candy making, toffee is the pinnacle. And English toffee is rich and buttery, has a good crispy snap, and yet is somehow easy to eat. The defining factor of English toffee is the thick layer of chocolate slathered on top with a generous dusting of toasted nuts. Hungry yet?
At its base, toffee is just a mixture of butter and sugar. And even though it seems like a simple ingredient, the amount of butter makes a huge difference and is what distinguishes a toffee from a brittle. There is more butter in toffee, which is what gives it its more pliable texture when compared to brittle.
The mixture is slowly cooked together until a hard crack temperature is reached, at 290°F. The ingredients are simple, but the results can vary, depending on the execution.
Over the years, I’ve had lots of problems with toffee. The process is easy – how hard could a combination of butter and sugar that’s heated to a hard crack stage really be? But on the way to this temperature, I’ve often had the mixture separate. Soon after the butter and sugar would start to boil, the butter would separate from the sugar, and the result would be an oily mess. No, thank you!
For years, this perplexed me! Sometimes it would work, and other times it wouldn’t. After trial and error, I’ve discovered there are a few things that lead to toffee failure:
- One of the major culprits can be abrupt temperature changes. A constant, even heating environment leads to the best results.
- The use of a thin saucepan as opposed to a heavy-bottom variety. Thin pans do not heat evenly and do not cook the toffee well. I know it can seem trivial to read a recipe that urges the use of a heavy-bottom saucepan, but in the case of toffee, it’s very important.
After years of trying different tricks, the best thing I’ve learned is to add corn syrup. A little corn syrup doesn’t add moisture but does help stabilize the mixture. It helps the mixture heat up evenly and cook properly. Now, every time I make English toffee, it comes out perfect as long as I follow these three steps:
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Heat it up slowly.
- Add a little corn syrup.
More Christmas Candy
- Chocolate and peanut butter fudge
- Grandma’s peanut brittle
- Peanut clusters
- Chow mein candy
- Make sure to check out all of my holiday baking recipes
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English Toffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 6 oz dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Butter a 9×13 baking sheet pan. Set aside.
- Have an instant-read thermometer ready or fit saucepan with a candy thermometer.
- In a heavy-bottom four-quart saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Over low heat, bring to a boil, stirring slowly. Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 290°F, 15-20 minutes. It will be a light amber color and smell like caramel and butterscotch.1 cup salted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- Remove from heat, add in the vanilla, and pour into the prepared baking sheet pan. Let cool for one minute and sprinkle with ¼ cup chopped nuts over the entire mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let sit until melted, about two minutes. Spread the chocolate evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with remaining chopped nuts. Let cool completely, about four hours.1 cup chopped toasted pecans, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 6 oz dark chocolate chips
- Once cooled completely, break into desired pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to one month. If in a warm climate, store in the refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Where can I get an instant read thermometer like the one you use. Can’t wait to try this candy recipe. Love your videos.
What brand of corn syrup do you use? I can only find high fructose corn syrup.
I must say for first try at making homemade candy it came out pretty good. Very easy recipe all went just has your video lesson showed, my only problem was getting temp up to 290 it took longer then 20mins so not sure what I did wrong. I will definitely make again practice makes perfect. Really enjoying your recipes you make sure to explain clearly and all the extra tips make for successful results! Thank you for all you do I’m a big fan, watched your Rachel Ray demonstration, you are a natural! Keep up all you do I expect to see you with a cookbook and your own spot on food network someday ❤️
I’ve tried making toffee this Xmas and this will be my 5th attempt but this time using this recipe. Each time it’s gotten better but I seem to have the same problem that you have with it taking more than 20 min for it to reach 290 degrees. It will stay at 250 for awhile so I raise the heat thinking that’s what I’m supposed to do to do to get it to 290 because if I don’t it will take longer and I’m worried the toffee will be too hard
Just made this toffee today! It’s still cooling so I haven’t tried it yet, but I cannot wait to try it! Thank you! I love your videos. Merry Christmas!🎄🎄🎄
I really want to make this delicious looking toffee this weekend. However, my children are both allergic to nuts. I was thinking perhaps I could substitute pretzels? In that case I would use unsalted butter. What do you think?
I made this the other day…I’ve tried making it before and it was a disaster, but this was so easy. I purchased an instant read thermometer—-don’t know how I’ve managed so long without one. Delicious!!!
I’m making this today. It looks so easy and will make a great Christmas treat for friends! I absolutely love your videos and the way you present them. Love your farm, too. You have simplified life’s pleasures at a time when things are so crazy. Your recipes are wonderful and so are all of the other things you show us how to do – think Christmas wreath! You are my “go to” web site now, and I’m telling everyone I know about you. Move over Martha Stewart! You have competition!
Well thank you for making my day!! So glad you enjoy and are sharing me around! Merry Christmas!
Hello. In your video you say you use salted butter, but in the written recipe it says to use unsalted butter. Can you please clarify which to use? Thank you.
Sorry about the typo, the recipe is updated correctly! I write recipes that can be used for both salted or unsalted butter. If you chose to use unsalted then add salt to the recipe if you use salted omit any salt!
Thank you for this recipe and also thank you for the clarification on salted versus unsalted butter. My family adores this recipe.
Hello. In your video you say to use dark chocolate chips, but in the written recipe , it says to use semi sweet. Could you please clarify and also if you could recommend if possible the brand you prefer I would really appreciate it.
This is the first time my toffee has not separated! Thanks very much