Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars

Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, adapted from

Show: Wolfgang PuckEpisode: Candy

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (43)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(43)

Cook Time:
1 hr 5 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
1 (2-pound) block, 10 by 13 inches

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 2 hr 0 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Total:: 3 hr 25 min

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Ingredients

10 ounces whole unblanched almonds
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water or rum
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

Directions

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread nuts on a baking tray and bake until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes, turning nuts after 7 to 8 minutes to ensure even toasting. Cool and chop coarsely. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside. Clean baking tray and coat with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. Spray both sides of the offset spatula with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.

Make the toffee: Place sugar in a small deep saucepan. Add the corn syrup and water or rum and, over medium heat, bring to a boil. Let boil until large bubbles form on the surface, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with foil and boil 5 minutes longer.

Add the pieces of butter and continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until temperature reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. (The candy thermometer has a clip on the side that can be slid up or down. If desired, you can fit the thermometer on the side of the pan, making sure that it rests in the mixture, not on the bottom of the pan, so that the reading is accurate.) Remove from heat and immediately add the salt, baking soda, and 1 cup of chopped nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Pour the toffee mixture on the oiled baking tray and, using the offset spatula, spread the mixture out, making a block about 10 by 13 inches. The toffee will thicken very quickly, so work as fast as you can. When cool, blot some of the oil or vegetable spray with a clean towel.

While the toffee mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. When almost melted, turn off heat and let the chocolate continue to melt, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.

When you can lift up the block of toffee, transfer it to a flat work surface or to a clean baking tray. Pour the melted chocolate over the toffee, spreading to cover the entire surface and, before the chocolate cools, sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts. If the chocolate takes a long time to harden, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.

Return the block of toffee to the work surface and break up into pieces approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Then cut into smaller pieces, as desired. Use as needed.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Morgan Parma, OH 12-03-2008
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Perfect!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made a batch of this tonight to take to a candy exchange this weekend; I think I am going to need to make a second batch... tomorrow in case I eat all of the first. The recipe was actually really easy with a candy thermometer; much easier than the brittle recipe I used the other day. I used a silpat instead of oiling the pan and the entire block just popped right off. I also microwaved the chocolate in 30 second spurts to save the whole double-boiler mess. Great recipe! Read more
recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Tammie new lenox, IL 08-24-2008
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Wish I could rate higher
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this recipe since the show it came out and every year since. It is a family favorite for the holidays. Not... difficult and the kids like to help.Read more
recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Joseph Worcester, MA 01-19-2008
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Easy & amazingly good
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Like other reviewers have said, this is very easy and incredibly good. I just made this and am amazed at how good it tastes.
recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Anonymous 01-11-2008
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went so fast......
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for my Christmas cookie platter. On Christmas morning I was surprised to find there was no more toffee. My... family ate it all. They are requesting more! I never made any type of candy before and I thought it was easy to do.Read more
recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Amanda Bloomington, CA 12-26-2007
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Worth the time.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Okay so this was my first attempt at toffee. I never saw very large bubbles but after a bit, I covered the pan with foil and... proceeded along. It takes awhile to get to the hard crack stage. Don't get fooled like I did though. once you hit soft crack temp, don't wonder far. If you make this for the first time like I did you feel like you sit around for days waiting on the temperature to rise. Well once you hit soft crack at about 275F don't wonder far. In comparison the toffee rises much quicker to 300F. I was lining my pan and turned around to find I was at about 330F. The result was a very salty dark toffee. Now that I knew better I made it again and stayed very close when within 25 degrees. The outcome was much better. Also I used parchment paper (oddly you may not find it in your grocery store, but Target carries it). I didn't have to spray any oil or for that matter dab anything off. The paper comes off easy and clean. Once it cooled I cracked it and was very please with the second attempt. So much so I thought about leaving it out of the baked goods gift boxes I made.Read more
recipe Chocolate-covered Almond Toffee Bars
Vicki Antelope, CA 11-28-2007
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THE MOST DELICIOUS TOFFEE---EVER!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this toffee for the first time last Christmas (2006) and I placed the broken 2 inch pieces in little clear baggies... with beautiful ribbons attached....HUGE HIT!!!! I made it exactly like it said (but I used water instead of rum) and it was fabulous...You do need the candy thermometer...during the final minutes it rose up REALLY FAST (from 275 to 300 degrees in just a couple of minutes) and it can burn very quickly....just stick close by....When I made it last year it came out very thin and broke very easily.....this year I made it thicker by filling the cookie sheet with the hot toffee mixture and then about 3/4 of the way having it STOP filling up the pan by TILTING the cookie sheet away from the edge by using dish towel folded up to RAISE the edge that I did not want the toffee going to....I hope that makes sense...well, it made the toffee about 3/8 of an inch thick and fabulous.....I will definately make this again and again...I also substituted the chocolate and used Peanut Butter chips melted...that tasted YUMMY!!! Give it a try and you won't be sorry!!!Read more