Mixed Nut Buttercrunch Candy Recipes

AUNT ROSE'S FANTASTIC BUTTER TOFFEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow baking pan, toast almonds until golden brown, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely ground (do not overprocess); transfer to a bowl. Pulse almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle 1 cup almonds over bottom of a greased 15x10x1-in. pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate., In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar and water. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage), stirring occasionally., Immediately pour mixture over almonds and chocolate in pan. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and almonds. Refrigerate until set; break into pieces.

HOMEMADE BUTTERCRUNCH CANDY

Steps:

• Butter a baking sheet, and set aside.
• Melt margarine in 2 quart saucepan. Add sugar, and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, to 270 degrees F (132 degrees C).
• Remove from heat, and quickly stir in 1/2 of the chopped nuts. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle chocolate over hot candy; when it begins to melt, spread evenly over the top.
• Finely chop remaining almonds and sprinkle over candy. Refrigerate until firm. Break into small pieces to serve.

ALMOND BUTTERCRUNCH CANDY II

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter. Spread the crushed nuts evenly in the greased pan.
• In a medium saucepan melt the butter and sugar. Let it cook, stirring constantly, for five minutes until it is brown and almost smoking. Pour the mixture into the pan over the nuts. Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture so they will melt and spread the melted chocolate over the mixture. Sprinkle additional ground nuts on top if you wish. Let the candy cool before cutting it into bars.

MIXED NUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Arrange the nuts on the prepared baking sheet and roast until fragrant and barely golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the nuts to a food processor with 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula, until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. The nuts will go from coarsely chopped, to fine meal, to clumpy ball, to smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and cinnamon if using and blend until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or at room temperature for up to 1 week.

ALMOND BUTTERCRUNCH TOFFEE

Steps:

• Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and smooth out any wrinkles. Use extra butter (or even just the butter wrappers) to coat the foil well.
• Place butter and sugar in a very heavy bottomed sauté pan. (We like to use a 10-inch cast-iron.) Begin melting butter over medium heat, stirring butter and sugar together very gently at this stage to encourage them to combine, but do not stir vigorously.
• Once the butter and sugar are combined and melted, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and boil over medium-high heat. Occasionally draw a wooden spoon through the mixture to make sure it is heating evenly. When the mixture is approaching 250° F, combine the baking soda and vanilla in a small bowl and keep near the stove. Bring toffee to 305° F (hard crack stage). Immediately slide over to a cold burner, add soda/vanilla and quickly stir them in with a wooden spoon. Immediately pour mixture out onto prepared pan. Most, if not all, will come out of the pan. Do not scrape the pan bottom. The toffee should pool into a large oval shape. Use an offset spatula if necessary to create an even layer, about ¼-inch thick. Don't worry about uneven edges. Place pan on rack to cool completely.
• Melt the chocolate in microwave or top of double boiler. Have nuts ready to use in a bowl on your work surface. Loosen the toffee from the foil in one big piece and then just lay it back down (you are just un-attaching it from the foil). Pour half of the chocolate on top of the toffee and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula. Immediately sprinkle half of the almonds evenly over the wet chocolate, patting gently with your fingertips to help them adhere. Refrigerate until completely set. Flip toffee over on foil and repeat with chocolate and nuts on second side of toffee. Chill again. Once it is completely chilled you may break it up into slabs. Refrigerate in an airtight container until serving time, up to 1 week.

MIXED NUT BUTTERCRUNCH CANDY

Steps:

• To set up: Butter a baking sheet (about 10 by 12) and line the sheet with of parchment paper (allow excess paper at both ends). Grease paper and set sheet aside. Reserve any remaining melted butter for later. Line two more shallow baking sheets or trays with waxed paper for holding and chilling assembled candy and set them aside. Cut each stick of butter in half and place next to work surface, along with measured salt, baking soda, vanilla and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts. Place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Place a cup of hot water next to stove and put a pastry brush in water.
• To prepare toffee: Place a 2 1/2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan on the stove. Place water, sugar and corn syrup in the pan and stir gently to combine. Place pan over medium heat and as sugar dissolves, swirl pan gently. Let mixture come to a rolling boil and, once boiling and mixture is clear, don't stir or swirl pan anymore. If, while sugar is boiling, any sugar crystals cling to sides of pan, use moistened pastry brush to wash sides of the pan. Cook syrup until starts becoming a very light amber color. Lower heat and add butter, one half stick at a time, stirring very gently. (Only add additional butter after preceding piece has become melted and fully incorporated.) Once all the butter has been added, place candy thermometer into mixture, making sure that the bottom tip does not touch the bottom of the pan. Raise heat to medium and boil mixture until the temperature reads between 295 degrees F and 300 degrees F. Remove thermometer from pan and pan from stove and immediately stir in salt, baking soda, vanilla and macadamia nuts. (Quickly stick thermometer it warm water to aid in clean up.) Immediately, pour candy mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the bottom of a long offset metal spatula (an icing spatula is perfect) or a knife with some melted butter. Spread the candy mixture out so that it is 1/4-inch thick. Use the knife to push the sides back into a rectangular shape as the mixture cools. Let the mixture set for a few minutes.
• To melt chocolate: While toffee firms up a bit, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a skillet with 1 inch of hot but not simmering water (stirring constantly until smooth). Be careful not to allow any water to enter bowl of chocolate.
• To cut candy: While candy mixture is still warm and pliable, use a buttered pastry scraper to score the candy into 1 1/2 by 2inch rectangles. Let set further until the candy is firmer (5 minutes at room temperature). Score again through original cuts, making sure candy is in separate squares all the way through to the bottom. ( If stubborn, use your pastry scraper and mallet to knock through any sticky, tough spots. Hit the top (wooden part) of the scraper with a heavy mallet.)
• To fully assemble candy and chill: When chocolate is firm, pour melted chocolate over top of scored candy and, using a spatula, spread it out evenly. It's okay if the chocolate runs down into grooves in candy. Scatter 2 cups of the ground toasted nuts on top of the chocolate and press them into the chocolate. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of nuts. Lift one end of the parchment paper so the first line of cut candy bends and separates from the next line. Carefully lift one piece off at a time. Sprinkle with some additional nuts to coat any exposed chocolate. Place candy on prepared baking sheets lined with waxed paper (in a single layer) and refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) so chocolate will harden. Once set, place candy in an airtight tin, separated in layers with waxed paper. Although these candies may be stored at room temperature, to best preserve fresh flavor, store them in the refrigerator

OLD-FASHIONED BUTTER CRUNCH

Steps:

• To make the butter crunch mixture, melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, stir in almonds, and pour out into prepared pan, spreading the mixture with the back of a spoon to fill the pan. Before the butter crunch hardens, but when it is firm enough to handle, turn it out onto a large parchment-covered cutting board and peel away the foil. Allow the butter crunch to cool completely. To finish the butter crunch, wipe the top surface of the candy with a damp paper towel to remove excess butter and allow to dry a few minutes. Have another cutting board or the back of a jelly-roll pan ready to turn the candy over onto. Use a small offset metal icing spatula to spread half the tempered chocolate quickly over the butter crunch. Scatter half the chopped almonds over the chocolate. Cover this finished surface with a piece of parchment paper or foil and place another cutting board or the back of a large jelly-roll pan. Remove top board and paper and quickly spread with remaining tempered chocolate and scatter on remaining almonds (it isn't necessary to wipe the second side because it wasn't against a buttered surface). Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set chocolate. Break the butter crunch into 2-inch pieces. Store candy in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover and keep at a cool room temperature for up to a week.

PECAN BUTTER CRUNCH

Steps:

• Cook sugar, syrup and water until mixture thickens and bubbles (about 230 degrees). Add butter and pecans. Stir continuously and continue cooking until nuts begin to brown or start popping (290 degrees). Remove from heat. Add vanilla and soda and stir thoroughly. Pour quickly in several pieces on large buttered surface. Do not spread with knife or spoon. Allow to cool slightly. Stretch and pull with hands until very thin. (The thinner it is stretched, the more brittle it will be.) When cooled and hardened, break into small pieces. Store in airtight container.

MIXED-NUT BUTTER-CRUNCH CANDY

Steps:

• To set up: Butter a baking sheet (about 10 by 12) and line the sheet with of parchment paper (allow excess paper at both ends). Grease paper and set sheet aside. Reserve any remaining melted butter for later. Line two more shallow baking sheets or trays with waxed paper for holding and chilling assembled candy and set them aside. Cut each stick of butter in half and place next to work surface, along with measured salt, baking soda, vanilla and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts. Place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Place a cup of hot water next to stove and put a pastry brush in water.
• To prepare toffee: Place a 2 1/2-quart heavy bottomed saucepan on the stove. Place water, sugar and corn syrup in the pan and stir gently to combine. Place pan over medium heat and as sugar dissolves, swirl pan gently. Let mixture come to a rolling boil and, once boiling and mixture is clear, don't stir or swirl pan anymore. If, while sugar is boiling, any sugar crystals cling to sides of pan, use moistened pastry brush to wash sides of the pan. Cook syrup until starts becoming a very light amber color. Lower heat and add butter, one half stick at a time, stirring very gently. (Only add additional butter after preceding piece has become melted and fully incorporated.) Once all the butter has been added, place candy thermometer into mixture, making sure that the bottom tip does not touch the bottom of the pan. Raise heat to medium and boil mixture until the temperature reads between 295 degrees F and 300 degrees F. Remove thermometer from pan and pan from stove and immediately stir in salt, baking soda, vanilla and macadamia nuts. (Quickly stick thermometer it warm water to aid in clean up.) Immediately, pour candy mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the bottom of a long off-set metal spatula (an icing spatula is perfect) or a knife with some melted butter. Spread the candy mixture out so that it is 1/4-inch thick. Use the knife to push the sides back into a rectangular shape as the mixture cools. Let the mixture set for a few minutes.
• To melt chocolate: While toffee firms up a bit, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a skillet with 1-inch of hot but not simmering water (stirring constantly until smooth). Be careful not to allow any water to enter bowl of chocolate.
• To cut candy: While candy mixture is still warm and pliable, use a buttered pastry scraper to score the candy into 1 1/2 by 2-inch rectangles. Let set further until the candy is firmer (5 minutes at room temperature). Score again through original cuts, making sure candy is in separate squares all the way through to the bottom. ( If stubborn, use your pastry scraper and mallet to knock through any sticky, tough spots. Hit the top (wooden part) of the scraper with a heavy mallet.)
• To fully assemble candy and chill: When chocolate is firm, pour melted chocolate over top of scored candy and, using a spatula, spread it out evenly. It's okay if the chocolate runs down into grooves in candy. Scatter 2 cups of the ground toasted nuts on top of the chocolate and press them into the chocolate. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of nuts. Lift one end of the parchment paper so the first line of cut candy bends and separates from the next line. Carefully lift one piece off at a time. Sprinkle with some additional nuts to coat any exposed chocolate. Place candy on prepared baking sheets lined with waxed paper (in a single layer) and refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) so chocolate will harden. Once set, place candy in an air-tight tin, separated in layers with waxed paper. Although these candies may be stored at room temperature, to best preserve fresh flavor, store them in the refrigerator.