This is a standard at Christmas and the best toffee I've ever made. It does take more than 2o minutes to reach the hard crack stage but I just keep a novel handy and read while stirring. I highly recommend this recipe.
Pecan Toffee
Pure sugar syrup heated to the hard-crack stage becomes a hard, translucent candy. In this recipe, the addition of butter produces an opaque candy with a silkier but still crunchy texture.
Credit: Penny De Los Santos
2 tsp. plus 2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10"×15" jelly roll pan with 2 tsp. butter and set aside. Put remaining butter, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1⁄2 cup water into a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring constantly. Attach a candy thermometer to inside edge of pot and cook, continuing to stir constantly, until sugar mixture is deep golden brown and registers 310° (the hard-crack stage; see Cooking Sugar), about 20 minutes.
2. Pour the hot toffee onto the prepared pan and, using oven mitts, tilt and turn the pan to fill it evenly. Sprinkle the pecans over the top. (If you'd like to coat the toffee with chocolate before adding the nuts, let the toffee cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 1 minute, then use a rubber spatula to gently spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Sprinkle the pecans over the chocolate and gently press them down.)
3. Refrigerate toffee until it hardens, about 1 hour, then break into bite-size pieces. Serve toffee immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes About 2 1⁄2 Pounds
Ratings & Reviews (7)
Easy to make and a great holiday hit
I live a little above 7000 ft, and before the toffee's temperature reaches the hard-crack stage, the mixture separates with the butter at the top. I tried it 4 times, and everytime this is what happened. HELP!!!
To keep toffee from separating, add 2 to 3 tablesopoons of water, not 1/2 cup. Stir ONLY until butter melts and sugar dissolves. DO NOT STIR ANYMORE. Bring mixture to full boil (bubbles all over the top) Lift and swirl pan (careful syrup is very hot, reducing heat if necessary to keep from boiling over, but continue to boil until desired color and time is reached. Swirling also keeps fudge and any candy with this mixture of ingredients from beconing grainy. The constant stirring is what causes the toffee to separate and be grainy. If it should separate, add another tablespoon of water and swirl. This will bring the ingredients back together.
Absolutely delicious! I just bought a candy thermometer and this is the first thing I baked using it. Don't know why I waited so long. It was easy and oh so tasty. Added the chocolate on top and that was wonderful, too.
excellent, and I make a lot of toffee
I love toffee so this going to be on the A list for me to make. Thank you for the information.
Pecan Toffee
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