NOTE: RECIPE QUANTITIES AND PERHAPS INGREDIENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS I EXPERIMENT WITH THEM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE AS GOOD A FLAVOR AS I CAN.
Heath bars are, as the packaging states, English toffee with almonds, coated in milk chocolate. They're sweet and crunchy, and as someone who loves them very much, I decided to try my hand at making some at home.
The recipe that I used for the bars is based off of another toffee recipe that I found in a cookbook at the library -- more to come on that later.
Also, I obviously do not own the Heath candy bar, or any candy bar, for that matter. Just a recipe which is based off of another person's recipe for tasty toffee.
Now, on with the recipe.
WARNING: TOFFEE IS A BOILED-SUGAR CANDY THAT IS MADE BY HEATING SUGAR AND WATER TO TEMPERATURES WELL PAST THOSE WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF BURNING HUMAN SKIN. DO NOT -- I REPEAT, DO NOT -- ALLOW CHILDREN TO MAKE SUCH CANDIES WITHOUT RESPONSIBLE, ADULT SUPERVISION, AND THE PROPER EQUIPMENT. MELTED SUGAR STICKS TO THE SKIN LIKE PINE SAP, AND CONTINUES TO BURN. BURNS CAN BE EXTREMELY SERIOUS, AND EVEN FATAL. ALWAYS BE CAREFUL WHEN HANDLING MELTED SUGAR. IF YOU GET SUGAR ON YOUR SKIN, IMMEDIATELY PLACE THE AFFECTED AREA UNDERNEATH A STREAM OF COLD TAP WATER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES.
Precautions:
Use a long-handled spoon,
Follow the instructions exactly,
Be careful of the steam that is produced when adding liquid, as the steam will also merrily burn your face, arms, and/or hands,
Use potholders when moving the pot or pan,
DO NOT LEAVE CHILDREN OR DISABLED PEOPLE UNSUPERVISED!!
Please, PLEASE heed these warnings. I've been burned by melted sugar before -- it hurts like heck and horror, and is not pleasant in the slightest. Please be careful, and take care!
Allergen Warning: Contains butter and almonds. May contain soy, depending on whether or not the substance is in the chocolate chips. May contain coconut oil, if used for the coating.
Toffee:
3/4 cup white granulated sugar -- 144 carbs
3/4 cup well-packed brown sugar (dark brown will have a stronger flavor and may add a bit of a molasses flavor to your candy) -- 144 carbs
1/4 cup water -- 0 carbs
1 cup unsalted, unsweetened butter (not margarine!) -- 0 carbs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -- 0 carbs
1/4 cup cream (I used half-and-half) -- 3 carbs
1/2 cup ground almonds -- 8 carbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Grease a pan -- I recommend one that is at least 8" by 12" -- with butter or cooking spray. The larger the pan is, the thinner the candy will be, as the same amount of mixture is spread over a larger surface.
Prepare a small glass with cold water and ice -- not too big, just a regular tumbler will do fine. This is to test what stage the candy is at during cooking, in the absence of or in addition to a candy thermometer.
If using a candy thermometer, make sure that it is clean, and if you're attaching it to the pan after the candy mixture has heated and melted, dip it in warm water in order to lessen the chances of the glass tube breaking upon submersion in boiling-hot sugar due to heat stress.
Have space in your refrigerator to place the pan of candy, making sure that the pan will be away from perishables such as meat or dairy.
Instructions:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add in the water, both of the sugars, and the salt. Stir together with a wooden spoon.
2: If you have not already, clip the candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Make sure that it is touching the mixture, but is not touching the bottom of the pan -- contact with the hot metal bottom will result in inaccurate readings, and temperature is very important in candymaking.
3. Stir constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon or a spatula until the thermometer reads 310 degrees Fahrenheit -- this is the Hard-Crack stage, and it yields a crunchy, brittle candy. If you wish, you can cook it a little less for a slightly softer candy, but don't deviate by too many degrees -- otherwise, the candy will be too soft.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla and cream, being careful to stand out of the way of the steam. Carefully stir well with the spoon, and then add in the almond powder, stirring well. The cream makes the candy just a bit softer, hence why one should avoid cooking to too low a temperature.
5. Pour into prepared, greased pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Let sit for several minutes to begin to set, and then score -- draw a buttered knife through the mixture as if you were marking brownies to be cut -- and place in the fridge until cool and hard.
This concludes the toffee part. As the toffee is cooling, begin making the chocolate coating, which is very easy.
Chocolate Coating:
2 cups chocolate chips (Heath bars are made with milk chocolate, but whatever you want, you can use) -- 320 carbs
1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil (this makes the chocolate runnier, making it easier to dip the toffee into evenly) -- 0 carbs
Instructions:
1. Check the ingredients on the chocolate chips' bag -- if it contains cocoa butter, then it is real chocolate, and thus needs to be tempered to ensure that it sets correctly and firmly. If it contains another type of fat in addition to or in absence of cocoa butter, then it is compound chocolate, and requires no tempering.
For compound chocolate:
2. Simply place the chips in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for thirty seconds.
3. Stir, add the coconut butter or vegetable oil, and microwave for another twenty seconds. Stir well, and repeat the microwaving process in 12- or 15-second bursts, stirring well in between each burst, until the chocolate is melted.
For real chocolate:
2. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, and place the others in a microwave-safe bowl.
3. Heat the bowl and its chips for thirty seconds. Stir, add in the vegetable oil or coconut oil, and microwave for another twenty seconds. Stir well for at least ten seconds before returning it to the microwave for a round of 15 seconds. Stir very well again, and return again for 15 seconds if it is still not melted.
4 Once it is completely melted and warm, add in the reserved 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and stir for at least 30 seconds, at which point you may return to the microwave for 15 seconds on low or medium power if there are unmelted bits.
Assembly:
1. Break the toffee along the scored lines, and set aside on a sheet of waxed paper or tinfoil.
2. Using a fork, dip individual pieces of the toffee into the melted chocolate. Hold each piece above the chocolate and let the chocolate run off of the piece for a few second -- you can wave it up and down carefully to speed this part a bit -- before moving to the waxed paper or tinfoil, drawing the bottom of the fork across the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
3. Repeat with all the toffee -- or however much you want to dip -- and refrigerate until the chocolate has set.
4. Peel pieces off of the paper all at once to present prettily on a place or dish, or peel them off one at a time when no one is looking to see you snitch.
Enjoy!
If you notice any typos or errors, please let me know.
