Almond Toffee Bars Recipes

ALMOND TOFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (if using dark or nonstick pan, heat oven to 350°F). Grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in flour on medium speed until dough starts to form. Press dough in pan. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat 1 cup butter, the brown sugar and corn syrup to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil 2 minutes without stirring. Quickly stir in almonds; spread over baked layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until dark golden brown and bubbling.
• Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot bars. Let stand 5 minutes to soften; gently swirl chips over hot bars with spatula. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 5 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

ALMOND TOFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Cream 3/4 cup butter and sugar; beat in egg yolk and extracts, mixing well.
• Blend in flour and salt.
• Spread dough evenly onto bottom of ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler over simmering water.
• Remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
• Beat until chocolate is glossy.
• Spread over baked crust and sprinkle with almonds.
• Cool to allow chocolate to set.
• Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND TOFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread nuts on a baking tray and bake until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes, turning nuts after 7 to 8 minutes to ensure even toasting. Cool and chop coarsely. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside. Clean baking tray and coat with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. Spray both sides of the offset spatula with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
• Make the toffee: Place sugar in a small deep saucepan. Add the corn syrup and water or rum and, over medium heat, bring to a boil. Let boil until large bubbles form on the surface, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with foil and boil 5 minutes longer.
• Add the pieces of butter and continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until temperature reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. (The candy thermometer has a clip on the side that can be slid up or down. If desired, you can fit the thermometer on the side of the pan, making sure that it rests in the mixture, not on the bottom of the pan, so that the reading is accurate.) Remove from heat and immediately add the salt, baking soda, and 1 cup of chopped nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Pour the toffee mixture on the oiled baking tray and, using the offset spatula, spread the mixture out, making a block about 10 by 13 inches. The toffee will thicken very quickly, so work as fast as you can. When cool, blot some of the oil or vegetable spray with a clean towel.
• While the toffee mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. When almost melted, turn off heat and let the chocolate continue to melt, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
• When you can lift up the block of toffee, transfer it to a flat work surface or to a clean baking tray. Pour the melted chocolate over the toffee, spreading to cover the entire surface and, before the chocolate cools, sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts. If the chocolate takes a long time to harden, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
• Return the block of toffee to the work surface and break up into pieces approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Then cut into smaller pieces, as desired. Use as needed.

ALMOND TOFFEE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Press firmly onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake 30 min. or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate. Cover with aluminum foil; let stand 5 min. or until chocolate is softened.
• Spread chocolate evenly over crust; sprinkle with coconut and almonds. Cool slightly. Cut into 32 squares. Cool completely.

ALMOND TOFFEE BARK

Steps:

• Oil a large baking sheet. Set aside.
• In a large heavy saucepan bring butter, sugar, water, vanilla and salt to a boil over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Boil mixture, without stirring, until deep golden, about 12 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in 2 cups roasted almonds. Immediately pour onto reserved baking sheet. Spread evenly and then place into the refrigerator to set.
• Chop chocolate. In a hot double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Pour chocolate over cooled almond toffee and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle top with remaining almonds. If desired, drizzle top with melted milk chocolate, or white chocolate for contrast. Chill uncovered until firm, at least 1 hour. Break toffee into pieces.

ALMOND CRUNCH TOFFEE

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a heavy 3-qt. saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in the sugar, water and salt. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage), stirring occasionally. , Stir in almonds. Cook until candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in baking soda until light and foamy. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully spread chocolate; sprinkle with pecans and peanuts. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. , Sprinkle with coffee beans; press down lightly. Chill for 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. , In a microwave, melt white chocolate, stir until smooth. Drizzle over candy. Chill 30 minutes longer or until firm., Using foil, lift candy out of pan; discard foil. Break candy into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND TOFFEE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, place whole almonds and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Cover and process until nuts are finely ground; set aside. , In a bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour, salt and ground almond mixture; gradually add to creamed mixture. Press into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes., Meanwhile, combine toffee bits and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until toffee is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in 1/2 cup sliced almonds and 1/2 cup coconut. Carefully spread over hot crust. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and coconut. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

TOFFEE-CHOCOLATE-ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 9-by 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing some extra at each end.
• Grease and flour the foil.
• Toast the almond pieces in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes.
• Pour them out of the pan and set aside.
• Chop the toffee bars into 1/2-inch pieces (if using snack-size bars, chop them in half).
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the melted butter and brown sugar, breaking up any hard lumps of brown sugar.
• Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract.
• Beat in the flour mixture.
• Combine the toasted almonds, chopped toffee bars and chocolate chips, mixing well, then stir the mixture into the batter, stirring to coat all the mix-ins.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
• Bake about 40 minutes (about 5 minutes longer in an 8-by 8-inch pan), until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• (If the toothpick comes out covered with chocolate, it hit a chocolate chip; try somewhere else.) A toothpick might come out apparently clean after about 30 minutes, but close examination would indicate it's wet.
• Some people might like the bars that way; they're certainly gooey, but they really aren't done.
• Cool at least an hour in the pan, lift out by the edges of the foil, peel away the foil (invert if necessary) and cut into serving pieces.

ALMOND TOFFEE BARK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and oil a large baking sheet.
• In a large baking pan spread almonds evenly and toast in middle of oven, stirring nuts halfway through toasting, until golden, about 10 minutes. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan bring butter, sugar, water, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt to a boil over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Boil mixture, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally, until deep golden, about 12 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in two thirds almonds. Immediately pour toffee onto baking sheet and with an offset spatula spread in a thin layer. Carefully transfer baking sheet (it will be very hot) to a rack and cool toffee.
• Chop chocolate. In a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate over cooled toffee and evenly spread with offset spatula. Sprinkle toffee with remaining almonds. Chill toffee, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour.
• Break toffee into 2-inch pieces of "bark." Bark keeps, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature or chilled, 1 week.