Chocolate Almond Toffee Bars Recipes

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.

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.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND TOFFEE

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then transfer to a small bowl. Pulse walnuts in food processor until finely chopped and set aside.
• Finely chop 1 bar of milk chocolate and 1 bar of bittersweet chocolate with a large knife, then combine in a bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 chocolate bars and combine in another bowl.
• Butter a large baking sheet and put on a heatproof work surface. Bring butter, sugar, and water to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking until smooth, then stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden and registers 300°F on thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Immediately stir in almonds, then carefully pour mixture onto center of prepared baking sheet (use caution when pouring hot liquids). Spread toffee into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) with a heatproof spatula, smoothing top, and let stand 1 minute, then sprinkle 1 bowl of chopped chocolate evenly on top of hot toffee. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly using a heatproof rubber spatula or an offset metal spatula. Sprinkle half of walnuts evenly over melted chocolate, then cover with a sheet of wax paper or parchment.
• Wearing oven mitts, invert second baking sheet over toffee and carefully invert toffee and sheet. If toffee does not release itself, use a spatula to loosen it. Sprinkle remaining chocolate on top to melt, then spread (as above) and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment on top and press lightly to help nuts adhere. Freeze toffee on baking sheet until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break toffee into pieces, then transfer to an airtight container and keep at room temperature.

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.