Almond Rocca / English Toffee. This Is It!!

Growing up my Mother was the cook of all cooks.  There was nothing she could not make.  She was especially famous for making her homemade chocolates at Christmas, fondants, Olympian creams, caramels, Hans sipping them in tempered chocolate, homemade turtles, and English toffee/sometimes called almond rocca depending on if you lived in Canada or the states.     When mom was sick she had my sister Jodi and I come to Calgary, we went thru many a recipe and she told us which were keepers, which were made at certain people’s weddjngs. . . That was a week that I will always treasure.  At that time I got the chocolate and the fondant recipes but I never could place the almond rica darn it.  Until now!  This year!   I have tried many a recipe and I have finally found the one most like my moms!

This treat was made at the beginning of December.   My mom would always put it in special Christmas tins with her othe chocolates and whipped shortbread cookies. ( another favorite Canadian Sandy Miller treat that is here on this list)


Nothing is sadder than reaching for a piece of toffee and findingthe tin empty, souse this English toffee recipe to make as much as your cupboards will hold to get  you thru December - before you start the January resolution to be more healthy.  What’s more, when you cook this up, your kitchen will be filled with the scent of butter, sugar and holiday spirit.

Ingredients:
 — 1 pound unsalted butter

— 2 cups white sugar

— 1/4 cup water

— 1/2 teaspoon salt

— 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

— 2 cups dark chocolate, chopped

— 2 cups milk chocolate, chopped

— 2 cups finely chopped toasted almonds

Instructions:

1. Grease two sheet pans with butter. ( not your giant Nordic Ware full your whole oven one - just a regular one)

2. Melt the butter, sugar, water and salt over a low flame, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to boil, turn the heat up to medium.

3. When the mixture has reached 305 degrees Fahrenheit, turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.    **** 305.   Not 350.  Pay attention!!!

4. Pour into sheet pans and set in the fridge to let the toffee cool.

5. Once the toffee has cooled, remove it from the refrigerator.

6. Melt the two types of chocolate over a double boiler, stirring to combine.

7. Once the chocolate has melted, pour it onto the toffee, smooth with a rubber spatula and then sprinkle the chopped toasted almonds on top. Work quickly, because you don’t want the chocolate to cool before the almonds stick!

8. When the chocolate has cooled, use your hands to crack it into pieces.

9. Pack them in a tin and enjoy!