toffee chips

I am smitten, so smitten with the Oatmeal Cookies I made the other day.  I raided my kids' stash; I couldn't stop eating them, and truth be told, I love the O/Toffee combo better than the O/Raisinet. How have I gone so long without that cookie?

So, I decided, it's time.  It's time I wean myself off of Heath Bits O'Brickle and make my own toffee chips. I, then, can happily and frugally subsist on Oatmeal Toffee cookies for the rest of my days.  Thankfully, it's really quite simple, though a little dangerous (you're dealing with 300º and don't want to get scalded. Just use a big enough pan.)

Melt sugar, butter, salt and a little water.

Stir while butter melts and sugar dissolves.

Bring to a boil, see it foam.

 This is the color at...

 285ºF.

 The toffee at hard crack stage- 300ºF.

Add some vanilla, watch it bubble up.

Pour onto a Silpat (or buttered foil).

This was a little too dark—

I was too aggressive with medium-high heat.

The second batch fared better with medium and medium-low heat.

Beat into submission.
Crack into pieces.

Toffee Chips

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

(The pictured amount is half of this recipe.)

Combine the butter, sugar, salt and water in a heavy-duty saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir the mixture until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Over medium to medium-low heat, and stirring very little, heat the mixture until 300ºF (hard crack stage). 

Take the pan off heat.  Add the vanilla, which will cause the mixture to bubble up a bit.

Pour the toffee onto a Silpat or buttered foil.  Let it cool thoroughly before breaking into chips.

Store in an airtight container.