For the sweet tooth - Orange scented white chocolate toffee with almonds

People have been posting toffee recipes.  I love toffee.  So I can only make toffee when there is a holiday so I can get it out of the house.  Well, there's a holiday coming up and I made some toffee that I've been looking at for months.  Toffee, or buttercrunch, is pretty darn simple.  (Dave Lebovitz' chocolate almond buttercrunch is out of this world.)  You don't even need a thermometer, as one fabulous blogger recently pointed out.  Just get a brown paper bag and boil the mixture until the color matches.  I love dark chocolate on my toffee, but hubby is a white chocolate fiend.  I find the fact amusing since he is otherwise not big on super sweet stuff.  But yes, he did indeed approve this tasty confection.  ☺

Update:  I thought when I made this the first time that the orange scent was a bit too subtle.  So the next time I added only two drops of orange oil.  What I learned?  Subtle is better.  Stick to the extract.

Orange scented White Chocolate Toffee with Almonds

1 cup butter (if using unsalted, add a generous pinch of salt)

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp Lyle's golden syrup (optional)

2 tbsp water

1/3 cup crispy or dry roasted almonds, chopped, divided

2 tsp orange extract

1 cup white chocolate pieces

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment.  In a medium heavy bottomed pot, combine the butter, sugar, water and golden syrup.  Cook over medium heat until butter is melted.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches about 295-300ºF and a nice golden amber (brown paper bag) color.  Quickly add in the extract and 1½ tbsp of the almonds.  Boil for a few more seconds until mixture is smooth again.

Pour out onto the parchment lined pan and sprinkle chocolate pieces evenly over.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Then gently spread the melted pieces over the toffee with an offset spatula.  Sprinkle the remaining almonds evenly over the top.  Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until hard set.  Then crack into chunks.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for longer keeping.  Bring to room temperature when serving.  (I actually like it cold though.)  Lasts, (technically speaking), a few weeks.  ;)

Adapted from lipstick blogger