Ingredients
- 1 cup Diamond of California® whole almonds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
The Steps
Preheat oven to 300F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the almonds onto the sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring them around twice during that time. Toasting the almonds brings so much flavor to the toffee. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and give them a rough chop– a very rough chop; I like to keep a few of them whole. They will go into your toffee soon.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (this is my preferred surface for toffee cooling, see more information above in the post) or aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Melt the cubed butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed medium size saucepan with your candy thermometer attached. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon as it melts. Once melted, add the water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush to prevent the candy from burning on the side of the pan– which can create a temperature shift and turn your entire batch of toffee into a grainy, coarse mess. (Alternatively, you can lightly butter the inside edges of your pan with butter before beginning this recipe.) Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.
Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil. You’ll begin to see bubbles around the edges around 155°F (68°C). While still stirring occasionally (every 2 minutes or so), you’ll begin to see bubbles in the center around 200°F (93°C). Rapid bubbles, a thicker consistency, as well as a slightly darker color forms around 235°F (113°C). Keep stirring occasionally. At the 260°F (127°C) point, stir in the coarsely chopped toasted almonds. The mixture may separate when you add the nuts, but continue to stir and it will come back together. Around the 265°F (129°C) mark, the candy will be a darker amber color. Begin to stir the candy constantly. Do not leave the pot. Cook and stir the candy until it reaches 290°F (143°C). This whole process takes around 30 minutes, but do not be alarmed if yours takes longer or shorter– all stoves and pots are different and this is why a candy thermometer is crucial.
Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon. Pour the toffee out onto the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Smooth into an even layer. Allow the toffee to cool for about twenty minutes, then slip the pan into the refrigerator to set for about twenty more minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice or break into pieces. As large or small as you want. Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Toffee freezes well. Break it up as directed, place into an airtight container and freeze up to 3 months.
