I made this for some people at work, and they all raved about it. I also sent some with my husband so he could let everyone at his job munch on it. It's really been a big hit with everyone that's tasted it.
This was actually pretty easy to make. The only things you really need that you may not have is a candy thermometer and some parchment paper.
Ingredients:
4 sticks salted butter
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 ounces of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
24 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate (I used Baker's brand)
8 ounces chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts)
Directions:
Tear off 2 large pieces of parchment paper (about 24-inches long each). Silicone baking mats also work, if you have them. Place them on the counter for later use.
Combine butter, sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook over moderate heat, stirring gently, until candy thermometer registers 298-degrees (this is the hardball stage for the toffee). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla until well combined.
Pour half of the mixture on the 1st sheet of parchment paper. Use a heatproof rubber spatula or offset spatula to spread QUICKLY before the toffee sets. Spread thin. It's okay if it's not all even. Repeat with the 2nd half of toffee mixture.
Allow toffee to cool completely... about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Blot the surface to remove excess oil. Congratulations! You have just made toffee!
Now let's cover it with chocolate.
Chop the semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. I used a food processor to save my hands from the aches of chopping. Put chocolate in a heat proof bowl and then set on top of a pot of boiling water (this creates a double boiler). Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Otherwise, it could burn the chocolate. I usually put about 2 inches of water in a saucepan and boil. Then I put the bowl of chocolate on top. Stir, and the chocolate will melt.
Once the chocolate has melted, let it sit on the counter until it has cooled off a bit. It should feel slightly warm to the touch, but it should obviously be spreadable.
Pour half of the chocolate over the 1st sheet of toffee. Spread the chocolate with a heatproof rubber spatula or offset spatula to cover the toffee. Immediately sprinkle chopped nuts over the chocolate. Repeat with the other half of the melted chocolate.
*Note: I made this on a really cold night. My chocolate was still a little sticky after 45-minutes, so I took it outside. It didn't take long to harden/set in the cool air.
When chocolate has totally set, carefully flip over. It's okay if it falls apart a bit. Coat the other side with the rest of the chocolate. Sprinkle on topping. Allow to set (again, I let it sit outside).
Once the chocolate is set, break into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container.
