This recipe is adapted from one provided by Becky Butcher. She made this for all the neighbors every Christmas when we lived on Orchid Lane.
- 8 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
- Optional: Use some white chocolate as well for a nice contrast
- 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350º F
- Toast the chopped pecans on a baking sheet in the oven for 6 minutes
- Wrap baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil, and set aside.
- In a heavy saucepan, cook the butter, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat until the temperature reaches 305F (hard-crack stage), stirring occasionally
- Temperature will climb rapidly after 285º but this whole process will take awhile. Be patient – it will come.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the mixture into the lined pan. It will spread but you may have to help it along with a spatula.
- Grate the chocolate bar in a food processor or by hand
- Sprinkle and spread melted dark (and white) chocolate over the toffee
- Sprinkle with the toasted pecans, pressing to set pecans into chocolate.
– OTHER OPTIONS: Instead of pecans, you can use dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, seeds, crushed candy canes or other candy, pretzels, crushed coffee beans, etc. Feel free to use your imagination. - Let set at room temperature on the counter for 1 hour, or until the chocolate is set. THIS IS MANDATORY to allow the hot sugar crystals to harden.
- Refrigerate for another hour, but NOT UNTIL it has set on the counter for an hour.
- Break toffee into pieces.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 1 month.
