What is toffee?
Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.
What equipment you’ll need
- A large, heavy-based saucepan, preferably in a light colour so that you can see the colour of the toffee changing.
- Wooden spoon
- Pastry brush
Step 1
Combine 2 cups caster sugar, ⅔ cup water and 1 tbs white vinegar in the saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely then immediately stop stirring. Don’t be tempted to stir it any further or you will interrupt the caramelising process and risk the toffee not forming.
Step 2
Increase the heat to high and bring the toffee syrup to the boil without stirring. Allow the liquid to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until golden. To prevent sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, brush down the sides with a wet pastry brush every few minutes.
Step 3
Once golden, take the pan off the heat and allow to sit for a minute, or until the mix stops bubbling. Your toffee is now ready to use.
Tips and variations
- If you’d prefer a softer toffee, try adding ½ tsp cream of tartar at the start of the recipe.
- If you’d like to colour the toffee, add the food dye at the end of the cooking process to ensure your toffee reaches the right stage.
- If you want to add embellishments to the top of your toffee, have it all prepared and ready to sprinkle as soon as you finish. Once the toffee in poured out of the hot pan it will set very quickly, so be all ready to go.
How to use your toffee
Turn your liquid toffee into a range of delicious confectionery, such as the following:
Kids toffees
Place patty cases in a muffin tin and half fill each one with the golden toffee. Sprinkle over hundreds and thousands or toasted nuts and set aside for 15-20 minutes to set.
Toffee nut shards
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Cover with ½ cup toasted nuts of your choice, keeping them away from the edges. Pour the hot toffee over the nuts, shake to evenly distribute, then set aside for 10 minutes. Break the toffee into shards and serve.
Toffee apples
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Push confectionary sticks into the top of 12 small apples. Dip an apple into the toffee, allow the excess to drain off, then stand the toffee apple on the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining apples, then allow them to set for 20 minutes of until set.
Other toffee delights
FAQs
Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture. Think you can save time by bringing the syrup to a full rolling, popping boil in order for it to darken more quickly? Think again.
What can go wrong when making toffee? ›
Stirring too quickly or too often can cause the toffee to separate. Moderate the heat as needed – turn it down if the toffee is boiling or cooking too fast so it doesn't burn.
Should I stir while making toffee? ›
Continue to stir occasionally, the mixture will slowly thicken and will turn a more yellow hue as it cooks, and cook to hard crack (305°F/151°C). Once toffee reaches 305°F/151°C, immediately remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (careful, it bubbles and steams a bit).
Why won't my toffee harden? ›
If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.
Why add baking soda to toffee? ›
This toffee is cooked initially to 310°F (154°C), then the salt and baking soda are added, creating carbon dioxide. The foaming and bubbling aerate the candy somewhat, making the texture lighter and the candy easier to bite into.
What does overcooked toffee look like? ›
Toffee Making Tips + Troubleshooting
Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!
What temperature should toffee be cooked at? ›
Once boiling, cook, stirring only 2 to 3 times, until it turns a dark amber color and the temperature reaches 285 degrees F (137 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
Why is my toffee not set and why is it's texture grainy and not smooth? ›
As the toffee cools and the molten sugar crystals become solid again, they are attracted to the 'seed' forming new lumps of tiny crystals – hence the grainy texture. This can also happen if the toffee is stirred, or agitated, after it has begun to boil or on cooling (as happened with this pink-tinted toffee).
Why cream of tartar in toffee? ›
The cream of tartar crystals bind to sugar crystals preventing them from crystallizing. This means that the candy will have the sugar molecules evenly spread across the candy as opposed to forming unattractive lumps of sugar crystal in various places.
How do you know when toffee is done? ›
Here's how you know when the toffee is ready. Keep one of the almonds near the pan. It's your color cue. When the toffee is the color of the almond skin, it's done!
Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.
What is the crack stage of toffee? ›
Most people agree that toffee is cooked to soft crack stage, which is at temperature of 135°C – 140°C (275°F – 284°F), or hard crack stage which occurs at temperature of 145°C – 155°C (293°F – 311°F). More precisely, this candy is usually cooked at temperatures from 140°C – 150°C (284°F – 302°F).
What is the difference between English toffee and regular toffee? ›
English Toffee is a nationwide favorite that is easily made with only a few ingredients. The difference between regular toffee and English Toffee is one important ingredient – butter! I make English Toffee throughout the year for special occasions and it's always a big hit.
Why is my toffee still soft? ›
A ball of toffee that feels soft and squeezable will be at 'soft crack' stage. A firmer ball that's harder to shape will be at 'hard crack' stage. Some recipes cook the sugar at a lower temperature in order to make softer toffee.
What to do with unset toffee? ›
If the sauce has separated then warming it gently and stirring occasionally should help it to come back together. If it still has a film of fat on the surface after warming then whisking in a tablespoon of hot water (from a freshly boiled kettle) can also help.
What is the meaning of chewy toffee? ›
a hard, chewy, often brown sweet that is made from sugar boiled with butter.
Why is my cracker toffee chewy? ›
If your saltine toffee, or Christmas crack, is chewy, it's because the chocolate hasn't fully set yet. Try popping it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm it up. Do not store it in the fridge for any longer than 15 minutes, however.
