BVC Eats: Crispy toffee
CRISPY TOFFEE
FOR CANDY OR “SPUN SUGAR DRIZZLE”
I looked this up to drizzle over a gluten-free brownie cake for our 48th wedding anniversary. I mean, sugar is great, but gluten is the devil, right?
Here’s the recipe I started from by Tessa Arias, which I then adapted:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a heavy-bottomed small saucepan, begin melting the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt to the partially melted butter and whisk vigorously for one minute until combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks like melted peanut butter and a candy thermometer reaches 295 to 305°F. The original recipe said this takes about 10 minutes, but I found it happened much sooner.
If the mixture separates at all, remove from heat and whisk vigorously until recombined. Return to heat and continue cooking.
This is a good way to get burned, by the way. I haven’t yet been burned, but there’s always a first time. Use mitts, even on your stirring hand.
Immediately and carefully pour the hot toffee onto the prepared baking pan, allowing it to spread into an even layer. Let cool and harden for about 20 minutes.
Place the sheet of toffee on a cutting board or in a zip top bag. Use a mallet, rolling pin, or heavy object to crack it into small pieces. You can also cut into bits with a sharp serrated knife. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
On another website I found this idea: Using a large spoon, drizzle the liquid toffee over your cake (or whatever) and let it cool. In 20 minutes it ought to be rock-hard, or at least crispy-brittle.
I also tried this by making quite a small cake (a single 6-inch layer) and then greasing the outside of a 7-inch pan and drizzling the toffee over the bottom of the pan to make a kind of “toffee cage” for the cake. It looked awesome, but it was a PITA to serve and looked a mess directly it was cut, which is how most of the things I cook look. So, tradition wins again!
A key is that toffee is cooked longer and darker than caramel. This is what makes it cool harder.
Butter image by IMAGEMO DESIGN STUDIO on Freeimages.com