Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee

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 set 1 cup aside. Chop up the other cup of almonds nice and fine. Or pulse in a food processor a few times to break them up. These will go on top of the dark chocolate.

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 1 cup of whole almonds that you toasted and set aside. 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 pour the toffee out onto the prepared rimmed baking sheet. Smooth into an even layer and let it cool at room temperature for only 5 minutes. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate on top. Allow the chocolate to soften and melt from the heat of the toffee, then spread the melted chocolate into a thin, even layer. Sprinkle half of the crushed almonds onto the wet chocolate and press down gently with the back of a spatula to adhere them. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the chocolate.

Once set, flip the toffee over as a whole. You should be able to just peel it off the silicone baking mat. Melt the remaining chopped chocolate in the microwave, in 10 second spurts, stirring after each until completely smooth. Spread over the toffee and top with remaining chopped almonds, pressing down gently with the back of a spatula to adhere them. Sprinkle the top with sea salt. Refrigerate toffee again to set the chocolate, about 20 minutes. Once set, slice with a sharp knife 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.