Many people are scared by candy because they feel it is difficult to make. This English Toffee recipe is simple — only five ingredients! It is delicious, and makes great gift bags for teachers and neighbours, and will also be a crowd pleaser to have in your candy dishes over the holidays. One batch will fill quite a few small gift bags or holiday gift tins.

The keys to having success with this are: 1) use only real butter 2) heat LOW and SLOW and be patient enough to stir for a half hour, and 3) get and use a candy thermometer. It takes all the guesswork and frustration out. Set it to hard crack stage. Clip it to your pan and stir until it beeps.

First prepare your cookie sheet. Cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on the cookie sheet. Spray very lightly with cooking spray and spread it evenly with paper towel. If your cookie sheets are new and very clean you may choose to omit the parchment paper and just very lightly butter (with a piece of paper towel) the surface of your cookie sheet. Either way works!

Next, gather your ingredients along with a saucepan and a candy thermometer. I have tried this without a candy thermometer and somehow I never quite get it right. Your toffee will need to reach hard crack stage which is 295-305 degrees Farenheit. A candy thermometer is the best way to be sure it will harden properly.

Melt butter on low heat. Add sugar and molasses and stir with a wooden spoon constantly. You never want to burn your butter, so I start at like 3-4 and turn it down to 2 when it begins boiling. This recipe requires stirring and patience as it takes about a half hour to reach hard crack on low heat. But I promise the results make the process worthwhile. I have tried the microwave but I find it boils over, makes a mess, and just generally doesn’t work.

Once you have completed all the steps, set in a cool place to harden. I don’t recommend the refrigerator as it will discolor your chocolate. Allow it to cool and harden completely and break into pieces. Place in gift bags, tins or storage containers and ENJOY! Store in a cooler location but don’t refrigerate.

Have you ever made English Toffee? Do you make any specialty candy over the holidays to give as gifts? Do you like receiving homemade gifts like a tin of candy or sweets? Leave a comment and let us know!