Who doesn’t love good brittle? I know I do. Since I have been on a bit of a candy-making-challenge for myself, brittle is the next logical step. Plus, it’s a simple and quick recipe which is a nice bonus.

Ingredients:

2 cups of topping (1 used cocoa nibs…and kinda just threw them on there so eyeball the measurement)

1 cup of unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons salt (I also use some salt to top the brittle so sprinkle as much on top as your heart deems fit)

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 lb chocolate 70% preferable (I just used the awesome Trader Joe’s 2 lbs chocolate bar)

Good options for the topping of the toffee: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios…basically any kind of nut. Toast the nuts before you smash them a little and crumble on top.

Directions:

1. Have a prepared cookie tray (the kind with the lip…otherwise candy will slide everywhere) with a silpat or wax paper standing by to pour the hot candy when it reaches temperature.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt (1 1/2 tea.), and water over medium to low heat. Clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Seriously, if you want to make candy, you NEED the candy thermometer. Cook the mixture, whisking until the sugars have melted. Increase the temp to high and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 300 degrees. It should take about 15-20 minutes.

3. Pour the toffee into prepared cookie sheet. Don’t burn yourself. Using an offset spatula try and spread the toffee into a thin even layer. Let it cool for at least 45 minutes before adding the chocolate.

4. Melt your chocolate (either over a boiling low water pot with another bowl or my method of choice…the microwave). Spread the top of the cooled toffee with the warm chocolate and sprinkle with the topping. I sprinkled cocoa nibs and vanilla bean sea salt. Let it sit at room temp for 30 mins or so. Optional: Once cooled, flip the toffee over and repeat the chocolate and topping on the other side.

5. Break the cooled toffee into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.

Bakers recommendation: store it in the freezer. Chocoalte melts, and if you store your sweets in the kitchen like I do, you don’t want your chocolate to melt and make your hard work count for nothing. Plus, there is something that is just so satisfying about that cold crunchy snap you get from hard toffee. The toffee doesn’t actually freeze in the freezer, it just maintains the crunch that I love to much. Cocoa nibs are something I love the flavor of, but they might not be for everyone. Also, I have a slight obsession with the melting textures and flavor of things that are sweet, salty, crunchy, chocolatey, bitter, smooth, melty and sticky. The more the merrier! Let me know if you make your own how it turns out!

PS: I made the tea towel with this rad stamp that I carved over Christmas! Do you like it?! I am in love with it 🙂