Crisp, rich butter toffee loaded with crunchy almonds, topped with creamy milk chocolate and more chopped almonds.
This isn’t just any butter toffee recipe, it’s Chocolot’s butter toffee recipe. Chocolot is an award winning Utah Chocolatier. Ruth Kendrick started Chocolot in 2008, but she’s been making candy for over 50 years. She learned the art of candymaking from her mother, Pauline H. Atkinson, and they co-authored the book Candymaking. Ruth’s taught classes in candymaking throughout the country.
Ruth emailed me when I posted my Black Licorice Caramels recipe. She said she’s a long time Barbara Bakes reader and gave me advice on the temperature she cooks the caramels at our high altitude.
We emailed back and forth a little bit, and I asked about attending the next class she was teaching. She said she didn’t have any classes for several months, and instead invited me come to her home for a private lesson!
So on a Tuesday afternoon earlier this month, I went to Ruth’s home and she shared some of her chocolate making secrets with me. My first lesson was chocolate tempering and the importance of tempering the chocolate so it’s glossy and has a snap to it.
For tempering Chocolot chocolates, Ruth uses a special cocoa butter kept in a special container at just the right temperature. But for the rest of us, she emailed me the chocolate tempering information sheet she gives out at her classes. Luckily, she said I could also share it with my readers. Here’s a link to the pdf: Tempering Chocolate by Ruth Kendrick
Ruth’s Chocolot chocolates are amazing. The rich, creamy chocolate outside is the perfect vehicle for delivering the fabulous flavors and textures in the middle of the chocolate. The yellow triangle shaped confection in the picture above is Meyer Lemon, and it was my favorite of the Chocolots she sent home with me. It was smooth and creamy, a little bit tart and heavenly.
In addition to the fabulous flavors, Chocolot chocolates are beautiful works of art. Some are air brushed with beautiful colors, others have elegant shapes or patterns on top. Unfortunately, the chocolates aren’t widely available. Occasionally, you’ll find them in local shops, but fortunately, you can order them online.
After Ruth taught me about tempering chocolate, she decided to help me overcome my fear or burning myself making candy by showing me just how easy it is to make butter toffee. It was fun to watch how quickly she could whip up a batch of toffee.
If you have easy melting callets like Ruth uses at home and in her shop, you can just add them on top of the hot toffee and wait for them to melt and cool to about 90 degrees, then spread the chocolate over the butter toffee.
In addition to showing me how to make this fabulous toffee, Ruth also taught me how to make Peanut Butter Gianduja Chocolates. They’re a super easy-to-make chocolate that uses only three simple ingredients. I’ll share the Peanut Butter Gianduja recipe next Monday, so be sure and stop back by.
Chocolot Butter Toffee
Ingredients
- 1 pound 2 cups - 4 sticks AA grade sweet cream unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups chopped toasted almonds
- ½ cup tempered chocolate
Instructions
- Line a 12x18 baking sheet with parchment. Place toasted almonds on the baking sheet.
- In a heavy pot, combine butter, water and salt (if using unsalted butter). Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugar and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil.
- Cook to about 300° stirring slowly and gently.
- Pour into prepared pan and let candy stand at room temperature to cool. Dip or spread chocolate on top and bottom of toffee. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Notes
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Rocky Mountain Woman
Those look so wonderful! I could eat that whole batch.
Coco in the Kitchen
This is evil stuff, the sort of stuff I just can’t stop eating once I start!
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction
Barbara,
The toffee looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it myself. I’ve never made toffee before.
Annamaria
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
Oh my gosh, totally awesome that you got to have a private lesson at her house!This toffee, I need it!
Melanie
How fun to have a private lesson! I adore toffee; must try this recipe. Might be silly question, but when a recipe says to get some tempered chocolate, I’m never sure what to go buy. What do you use when you need to have tempered chocolate for seeding? Thank you for wonderful post.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Melanie – I asked Ruth for her advice and she said “All chocolate when you buy it is in temper. The problem is, when you go to use it, it will “lose” it’s temper. To use for seed, any chocolate that you buy will work. That said, if it has been accidentally melted and is totally white, then that is not a good choice. If the chocolate is shiny and has good snap, it is ok.”
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
This toffee looks amazing! So addictive, I think I could eat the entire batch! Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
How wonderful to get a private lesson mum! The toffee looks great. I love making and eating toffee but we have such humid weather that it’s hard to keep it crisp and crunchy! 🙂 xxx
Geetha Mungal
Hi Barbara. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I do love butter toffee. The recipe calls for “sweet cream butter”. I am not sure whether I can use normal good quality salted or salted butter. Please advise.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Geetha – Ruth and I actually had a discussion about butter and she said she generally always uses good quality salted butter. Enjoy!
Michele
Just cooled down enough to eat. Help I can’t stop munching on it.
Barbara Schieving
I love that you made it already! It is dangerous. Thanks for posting Michele 🙂
Chris @ Celebrations At Home
Oh, I love this stuff. Never made it my self but this recipe is on my ‘to-do’ list now.
Ruth Kendrick
It was my pleasure having you come over. I have been a fan or yours for years. You made my toffee look better than when it left here:)
Cyndy
I agree with Carol, what a wonderful day you had. I am going to try this recipe very soon. Your photo’s are beautiful as always Barbara. My thanks to you & Ruth!
Julie Blanner
Oh my word! What I wouldn’t do for a bite of that!
Letty /Letty's Kitchen
OMG–love Ruth! I have an ancient copy of Candymaking that I still refer to–even now with my “healthier” desserts. Also have been lucky to study at her house–Hi Ruth. What a great recipe!
Barbara Schieving
I know right! 🙂 Ruth and I even talked about you Letty and the lunches you use to arrange.
Barbara Schieving
I know right! 🙂 Ruth and I even talked about you Letty and the lunches you use to arrange.
Ruth Kendrick
Utah bakers Dozen was a fun group.
Ruth Kendrick
Letty, I have learned a lot since you came over. We need to do it again.
Nicole
You got a personal lesson!?!?! Awesome! This toffee is perfection. I need you to come be my little candy maker around the holidays 😉
Maria
The toffee looks PERFECT!
Rosa
Highly addictive!
Cheers,
Rosa
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake
What a cool opportunity that sounds like! I imagine this toffee is just perfect, very artisan indeed 🙂
Carol
What fun learning tips and trick from a master candy maker. That will be a day you’ll always treasure. Your toffee looks beautiful, Barbara. That would be hard to resist sitting on a plate on my counter. 🙂
Vickie S.
Goodness Barbara, you must be the luckiest guest in history! Thanks so much for sharing!