I’ve been asked for my candy recipes so I decided to work it into Valentine’s day!
Again, I am working with the awesome Love You Much Valentine ‘Bundle’ Promotion (Item #115405). Due to its popularity, you must order it directly through me (it can’t be ordered online), see my ordering specials and more details here.
I love candymaking and I have been doing it for years. I got my start taking classes at The Chocolate Duck in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY where I lived when first married. They are still there with an awesome website and the *exact* chocolate house mold I use! CLICK HERE for the exact mold I use for the houses I make (see article here). I still have some that are 20 years old from there!
Homemade Buttercrunch. I never could find a recipe for buttercrunch candy, but it appeared to be toffee inside chocolate and almonds.
So, I use the toffee recipe (below) then dip it in melted chocolate and roll in roasted, chopped almonds. I buy my almonds raw and roast them. After cooling, I chop them (I do use my Cuisinart). Warning about candymaking: everyone is suddenly your ‘friend’, children and husbands aren’t to be trusted alone with finished product and plan your hiding spots carefully.
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Toffee Recipe (makes one batch), the toffee is made a day or so before (providing you have a good hiding spot).
Food Ingredients: 4 cups granulated sugar, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup water, 1 lb. butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Other needs: candy thermometer, cookie sheets (2 large sheets greased and ready) and set on wood or other trivet type thing underneath, pastry brush (that can withstand 300+ degrees), cold water (for pastry brush), rubber spatula (a good one that can withstand heat).
Mix the sugar, corn syrup & water in a 3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Wash down the sides with a pastry brush cold water (get used to that!) and insert thermometer and be prepared to stir it while it boils to 280 degrees.
At 280 degrees, stir in the butter (at room temperature) and be careful it doesn’t sputter up at you! Mix it vigorously so it blends in and heat again to 315 degrees when you will add the salt. Wash the sides down and don’t stop stirring. After the salt is added, continue to stir to 320 degrees (but no higher) and immediately move from the heat and pour into pre-prepared cookie sheets. Be sure your cookie sheets were ready and on trivets (or I use my wooden cutting board) to absorb the heat and don’t ruin your countertop (you’re welcome!).
While the toffee is hot, I score squares to help me break into pieces after it is completely cooled. Break it up into candy sized bites storing in an airtight container to allow to ‘age’. After a day or so, the toffee will melt in your mouth and break away easily at a bite. Keep husbands and especially children away from finished candy at all times as this will greatly reduce the quantity of finished product! Give priority pickings to those who help stir at 1/2 or more at a time!
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Hope that satisfied my chocolate loving friends out there! Enjoy the recipe. I usually burn myself a few times making toffee, so be careful!
VIDEO UPDATE: I am working on a polished stone video but I am apparently suffering from an OC need for perfection and keep re-recording it. I am putting a deadline of TODAY for myself and you will see it finally (with all my ‘um’s’ and ooops… (let it go, let it go…). I may need professional help (no shocker there…but where would we begin… ?)
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