Chocolate Toffee Gems Food

CHOCOLATE-COVERED TOFFEE

Steps:

• Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or greased parchment or wax paper.
• In a large sized heavy-bottomed sauce pan, with a candy thermometer attached, bring all the ingredients, excluding the chocolate, to a boil over medium low heat.
• Continue to cook and stir the mixture until it reads 275 degrees F on the candy thermometer.
• The mixture will be much thicker. Stir constantly until it reaches 315 degrees F, which will happen pretty quickly. Remove it from the heat and stir until very smooth, just a few seconds.
• Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Using a spatula, spread the toffee out, working quickly because the toffee will set fast.
• Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, VERY GENTLY (you don't want to cut so deep that it actually reaches the bottom or you may destroy your silpat) score the toffee into bite sized pieces.
• You should get about 72 pieces. Again work quickly so the toffee doesn't set before you are done.
• Allow the toffee to sit until it is room temperature and then break apart the pieces.
• Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until perfectly smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to just above room temperature. If the chocolate is too hot it will run off the toffee and not give you a nice coating, if it is too cold it will be too thick to work with.
• Set up a second baking sheet with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
• Drop a piece of the toffee into the chocolate. Use a fork to flip the toffee over to coat the other side.
• Lift the covered toffee from the chocolate and shake gently to allow the excess to fall away.
• In order to get a nice smooth bottom, you want to scrape the bottom of the fork on the edge of the bowl, before laying it on the parchment to harden.
• If you want to sprinkle with toasted nuts and sea salt, this is the time.
• Continue dipping until they are all covered in chocolate. Allow them to sit out in a cool spot to set up or you can set them in the refrigerator for a few minutes until they are firm.
• Fill decorative bags as gifts for Valentine's Day.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE

Steps:

• Line a sided sheet pan with a silicone baking mat, or oil it well with vegetable oil (or use a heavyweight nonstick sheet pan).
• Pour the sugar into the center of a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Pour the water around the edge of the pan and wait to allow the water to moisten the sugar. (You can draw a clean finger through the center of the pan to allow some water to seep in.) Add the corn syrup and bring to a boil. Add the butter and boil until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F.
• Turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa; then stir in the nuts. Quickly pour the mixture onto the center of the prepared pan and let it spread out - it may not reach the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool at room temperature until hard. Using your hands (I wear gloves to avoid fingerprints), pry the toffee out of the pan and break into large pieces. Store in an airtight container. The toffee will keep well for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE BITES

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize on high heat stirring constantly. It will turn amber brown in about 5 minutes. When it is a uniform caramel color, add the butter, and stir it in. Once mostly combined, add the chocolate, and stir to blend. Pour it out onto a silpat or parchment lined sheet pan, and spread it with an offset spatula 1/8-inch thick. Let cool and break into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.

GIANT BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TOFFEE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool mixture to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then toffee and nuts (and optional chips). Chill batter until firm, about 45 minutes. (I spread the batter in a 11"x7" glass pan, and when firm divided the batter into 18 squares and fashioned balls by hand and then flattened them -- this made even sized cookies without using a scoop).
• Preheat oven to 350°F Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.).

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE BAR DESSERT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400*.
• Mix flour, 1/2 cup toffee bits, pecans, butter and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
• Pour milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 1 minute or until well blended. Spread 1 1/2 cups pudding into bottom of crust.
• Gently stir half of the cool whip topping into remaining pudding. Spread over pudding in pan. Top with remaining cool whip. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits.
• Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 13x9x2 inch pan.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolk, vanilla and salt.
• Blend well.
• Beat in flour just until combined.
• Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.
• When melted, spread and sprinkle with nuts.
• Cut into squares while warm.
• Let cool completely.