FABULOUS ALMOND TOFFEE

A friend shared her FABULOUS ALMOND TOFFEE with me several years ago.  After trying it, I knew I had to have the recipe!  I was surprised at how quick and easy it was!  Although the recipe calls for milk chocolate chips, when the big Hershey chocolate bars go on sale, she picks up a bundle of them, so she'll have them handy when she makes her ALMOND TOFFEE.  The neat thing about this toffee is that, where some toffees are one-sided, this has two sides of chocolate and nuts, with the wonderful toffee in between those layers.  She says it's an award-winner, and after sampling it, I sure see why!  Use a candy thermometer if you're not sure what an "approaching hard-crack" stage is.  (Although make sure you know what the boiling point of water is where you live, so you'll know if you need to adjust your thermometer). If kept in an air-tight container, it lasts for quite a while, although it usually doesn't last long because it's so good.  It is beautiful when broken into pieces and put in a decorative jar or plate. 

FABULOUS ALMOND TOFFEE 

1 Tablespoon PLUS 2 cups butter, divided

2 cups sugar

1 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 11.5-oz. pkg milk chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Grease a 15X10X1-inch cookie sheet with 1 Tablespoon butter; set aside.  In saucepan, melt the remaining butter.  Add the sugar, almonds, water and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is approaching a hard-crack stage (295 degrees).  Remove from heat and then stir in vanilla.  Immediately pour cooked candy into the pan you've got ready.  Let pan sit at room temperature until cool, usually about 1 hour.  Melt 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips (or candy bars) and spread over toffee.  (You can also just pour the chocolate chips on top of the toffee, wait a little, and then spread the melted chocolate over the toffee.  Refrigerate until set, usually about 45 minutes. Invert onto another large UNGREASED cookie sheet.  Melt remaining chocolate and spread over toffee.  Sprinkle with chopped almonds.  Let stand for 1 hour.  Break into bite-sized pieces.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 1 1/2 pounds of toffee.  YUMMY!