Toffee Bark Candy Recipe

With the holiday season upon us, I usually find myself in the kitchen more often than any other time of year. I have dusted off a favorite of mine: Toffee Bark Candy recipe. This is easy to make, fun to share and is an excellent idea for small gifts. Simply wrap in colorful cellophane bags, and tie with curling ribbon. Your postal delivery worker, child's teacher, or anyone else that deserves special recognition will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Toffee Bark Candy ingredients:

• 1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips


• 1 c brown sugar


• 2 sticks butter


• 1 tsp. vanilla extract


• 40 Saltine or Graham crackers, or 1 sleeve Keebler Club crackers (I use the
  Club crackers)


• Coarsely chopped nuts (cashews or peanuts), if desired


• Hershey's Toffee baking pieces, if desired
  

Instructions for making Toffee Bark Candy:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees


2. Line cookie sheet with tin foil, and then mist lightly with cooking
   spray


3. Line with a single layer of crackers


4. Melt butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring frequently.


5. 5. Bring mixture to a "foamy" boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.


6. 6. Pour mixture evenly over crackers and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees



7. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the mixture and allow to melt. Spread evenly
   (if desired, add chopped nuts and/or toffee baking pieces)


8. Refrigerate the Toffee Bark Candy until chocolate is firm.

Love the taste of toffee? Watch the following Nigella Lawson video as she makes Sticky Toffee Sauce - yum!

The Toll House of Cookie Fame

Have you ever wondered, while enjoying a delicious chocolate chip cookie, if there is an actual "Toll House" on which the recipe is based? Well, my dear reader, let me tell you - there is! Nestle Toll House cookies were born out of a desperate attempt of a baker to make chocolate cookies at the Toll House for travelers staying at the Inn near Boston, Massachusetts. Mrs. Wakefield had run out of baker's chocolate for her recipe and instead chopped up bits of a Nestle semi-sweet chocolate bar. The little "chips" did not melt, as she expected, and instead, the cookies came out studded with bits of chocolate. Boy, was it delicious!

Before long, smart Mrs. Wakefield sold her recipe to the Nestle company and the rest is history. Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips carry the famous recipe on each and every bag. And, there are Toll House Cafes at which you can enjoy a cookie and some coffee (or milk), all over the United States. Step aside Mrs. Field's!

And, if you want to enjoy the original recipe, here you go. For more information, click here!

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 sticks butter (softened)
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 c. (12 oz. package) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired) by hand. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

The pan cookie variation is for moms like me who just want to get the whole batch in the oven as quickly as possible. Instead of making individual cookies, take the entire batch of dough and spread into a greased 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.