Salted Butter Toffee
The secret to this toffee is patience during the color change. You are looking for the exact moment the sugar turns from a pale straw color to a rich, toasted amber before pulling it off the heat.
Don't walk away from the pot.
Sugar reaches the hard-crack stage quickly once it passes the initial boiling phase. Keep your candy thermometer calibrated and your workspace clear.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Baking sheet lined with a silicone mat
- Silicone spatula
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 1 lbunsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cupgranulated white sugar
- 1 tspsea salt
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 cupsemi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cuptoasted pecans, finely chopped
Watching the temperature
Target 300°F (149°C) on your thermometer. At this heat, the water content has evaporated, leaving behind a brittle structure that will harden instantly upon cooling.
The method.
Combine the butter and sugar
Place the butter and sugar into your saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter is fully melted and the mixture begins to bubble.
Bring to a boil
Once boiling, stop stirring. Insert your candy thermometer and watch the heat. As the temperature rises, the color will deepen to a light tan.
Reach the target
When the thermometer reads 300°F, immediately remove the pan from the heat. Carefully stir in the vanilla extract—the mixture will steam aggressively.
Pour and set
Pour the mixture onto the silicone-lined baking sheet. Tilt the sheet to spread it into an even layer before it begins to set.
Add chocolate
Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot toffee. Let them sit for two minutes until melted, then spread them into a smooth layer with an offset spatula.
Finish and cool
Scatter the chopped pecans and extra sea salt over the chocolate. Let it sit at room temperature for at least two hours until fully hardened before breaking it into shards.
Other turns to take.
Almond Toffee
Replace the pecans with finely slivered toasted almonds for a cleaner, nuttier profile.
Dark Chocolate Finish
Use 70% cocoa chocolate chips to contrast the high sugar content of the toffee base.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the butter separates and pools on top while boiling, whisk it vigorously off-heat for 30 seconds to re-emulsify before continuing.
Do not scrape the bottom of the pot when pouring the toffee onto the tray; any dark, scorched bits left on the bottom will ruin the texture of the batch.
Store the finished pieces in an airtight container at room temperature, layered with parchment paper, to prevent them from sticking together.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my toffee turn grainy?
Graininess happens when sugar crystals reform. Keep the sides of your pan clean of sugar splashes while it boils, or use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash them down.
Can I use salted butter?
You can, but omit the extra salt from the ingredients list to maintain control over the final profile.
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