Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee Recipe

Kate Shungu

October 30, 2023 at 12:00 PM·5 min read

toffee with chocolate and almonds - Kate Shungu/Mashed

While "toffee may seem intimidating," says recipe developer Kate Shungu, "it's a lot easier than you might think." She describes her dark chocolate almond version as "a classic toffee recipe with its butter/sugar ratios," but with a modern addition of corn syrup. This special ingredient, she explains, helps to keep the granulated sugar from crystallizing, which would result in a grainy toffee. Thanks to that touch of corn syrup, this candy creation is nice and velvety.

Shungu describes this sweet treat as "crispy, crunchy, perfectly smooth toffee that's loaded with almonds and topped with chocolate and sea salt," pointing out the sweet and salty flavor combination many of us know and love. She also points out that "this recipe is perfect for holiday gift giving," especially since the cooler weather during the winter season will help the toffee maintain its crisp consistency while it's en route to your friends and family.

Collect The Ingredients For This Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee Recipe

ingredients for chocolate almond toffee - Kate Shungu/Mashed

This toffee is made with a classic combination of butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt, plus, as previously mentioned, the addition of a little corn syrup. For the toppings, all you'll need are dark chocolate chips and chopped almonds.

Step 1: Prepare A Pan

pan with silicon mat - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Step 2: Add The First Four Ingredients To A Pot

butter and sugar in pot - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Place the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.

Step 3: Melt The Butter

melted butter and sugar in pot - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Cook until the butter is melted, and stir to combine.

Step 4: Bring The Toffee To 290 F

toffee mixture with candy thermometer - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture reaches 290 F on a candy thermometer or instant read thermometer. Stir the mixture very sparingly, just enough to ensure it cooks evenly.

Step 5: Mix In The Nuts And Pour Onto The Pan

toffee with almonds in pan - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Stir in ½ cup chopped almonds and spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Step 6: Cover The Candy With Chocolate

toffee with chocolate chips - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips and allow to melt.

Step 7: Spread The Melted Chocolate

toffee with melted chocolate - Kate Shungu/Mashed

Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the almond mixture.

Step 8: Finish Off The Toffee With More Nuts And Salt

Sprinkle with remaining almonds and sea salt.

Step 9: Break Up The Toffee

Allow the bark to cool completely, then break into pieces and serve.

What Ingredient Substitutes Would Work With This Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee?

While this toffee recipe is for a dark chocolate almond variety, you can instead use the instructions as the basic template for other types of toffee. You could swap out the dark chocolate chips for semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate chips. Shungu also notes that "you can make this with any type of nut that you like." Her suggestions include pecans, cashews, walnuts, or pistachios, or you could opt for peanuts for a budget-friendly option or expensive macadamia nuts for something more upscale. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds could also make for a nut-free option.

Although Shungu uses flaky sea salt both in the toffee and as a topping, she tells us that this is more for aesthetic purposes as it makes "the best looking toffee." If you don't have any, you can simply use table salt in the butter mixture and omit the salty topping.

What Are Some Tips For Making Homemade Toffee?

In the recipe, Shungu exhorts home cooks not to over-stir the toffee while it is cooking, explaining that "stirring too much can cause the sugar to crystallize, which causes the mixture to become grainy." Should the candy appear in need of mixing, her recommendation is to "just tip the pan from side to side instead of stirring" since this makes for a more gentle method of mixing.

Another issue you might face while making the toffee is that it could start to separate once you add the nuts. If this happens, Shungu advises, "Put it back on the stovetop over medium heat and stir constantly while allowing the mixture to come back to a boil." Once everything looks nice and smooth again, you can then go ahead and pour the candy onto the pan and proceed with the rest of the toffee-making process.