Chocolate Covered Almond Toffee Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 9-by 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing some extra at each end.
• Grease and flour the foil.
• Toast the almond pieces in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes.
• Pour them out of the pan and set aside.
• Chop the toffee bars into 1/2-inch pieces (if using snack-size bars, chop them in half).
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the melted butter and brown sugar, breaking up any hard lumps of brown sugar.
• Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract.
• Beat in the flour mixture.
• Combine the toasted almonds, chopped toffee bars and chocolate chips, mixing well, then stir the mixture into the batter, stirring to coat all the mix-ins.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
• Bake about 40 minutes (about 5 minutes longer in an 8-by 8-inch pan), until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• (If the toothpick comes out covered with chocolate, it hit a chocolate chip; try somewhere else.) A toothpick might come out apparently clean after about 30 minutes, but close examination would indicate it's wet.
• Some people might like the bars that way; they're certainly gooey, but they really aren't done.
• Cool at least an hour in the pan, lift out by the edges of the foil, peel away the foil (invert if necessary) and cut into serving pieces.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour, then salt, and continue beating until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer batter to a 9 by 13-inch pan, and flatten out with a rubber spatula.
• Bake until slightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately place squares of white chocolate on top, gently spreading with an off-set spatula or dull knife as they melt. Sprinkle with nuts and cranberries. Allow to set, about 15 minutes, and then cut into squares.

Steps:

• Place the granulated sugar and water in a large copper pot or 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the almonds and stir to coat them evenly in the sugar syrup. Your goal is to cook the almonds until the sugar crystallizes and caramelizes.
• When water is added to the sugar, the sugar crystals are dissolved. As it boils, the syrup becomes thicker as the water evaporates and big soap-like bubbles begin to form. Soon, all the moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes sandy. The sandiness is the sugar recrystallizing. It only takes the reformation of one sugar crystal to recrystallize the others. Keep stirring! Next, you see the sugar closest to the heat change from sandy to a clear liquid. The melted sugar clings to the almonds. When the sugar changes from clear to golden brown, the nuts are caramelized. Once this happens, pay close attention; the time it takes to pass from caramelized to burned is only a matter of seconds, especially when making smaller batches. You know the nuts are finished when most of the sandy sugar is gone.
• The first few times you make these, I suggest you try the following: When the sugar closest to the heat changes from sandy to liquid, remove the pan from the burner and continue to stir. The residual heat in the sugar and nuts will continue to cook the mixture while you stir it. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to stir the nuts while moving the saucepan on and off the heat at 10-second intervals. This will give you more control as it cooks. When the nuts begin to caramelize, remove them from the heat and finish stirring.
• Use a wooden spoon to spread the caramelized nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Do not touch the nuts as they are extremely hot. Let the nuts cool completely. If your freezer will accommodate the baking sheet, you can place the nuts in the freezer for about 30 minutes to speed up the cooling process. When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed. At this stage, you can choose to serve the nuts as they are.
• Place the caramelized nuts in the coating pan attached to the stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Use a ladle to add the chocolate to the spinning nuts. Add 1 ladle at a time until the nuts are coated to the desired thickness. If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate. If a thinner coat is desired, decrease the amount of chocolate. Finish by adding cocoa powder to the coating pan. Remove and serve.

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then transfer to a small bowl. Pulse walnuts in food processor until finely chopped and set aside.
• Finely chop 1 bar of milk chocolate and 1 bar of bittersweet chocolate with a large knife, then combine in a bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 chocolate bars and combine in another bowl.
• Butter a large baking sheet and put on a heatproof work surface. Bring butter, sugar, and water to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking until smooth, then stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden and registers 300°F on thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Immediately stir in almonds, then carefully pour mixture onto center of prepared baking sheet (use caution when pouring hot liquids). Spread toffee into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) with a heatproof spatula, smoothing top, and let stand 1 minute, then sprinkle 1 bowl of chopped chocolate evenly on top of hot toffee. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly using a heatproof rubber spatula or an offset metal spatula. Sprinkle half of walnuts evenly over melted chocolate, then cover with a sheet of wax paper or parchment.
• Wearing oven mitts, invert second baking sheet over toffee and carefully invert toffee and sheet. If toffee does not release itself, use a spatula to loosen it. Sprinkle remaining chocolate on top to melt, then spread (as above) and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment on top and press lightly to help nuts adhere. Freeze toffee on baking sheet until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break toffee into pieces, then transfer to an airtight container and keep at room temperature.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread nuts on a baking tray and bake until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes, turning nuts after 7 to 8 minutes to ensure even toasting. Cool and chop coarsely. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside. Clean baking tray and coat with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. Spray both sides of the offset spatula with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
• Make the toffee: Place sugar in a small deep saucepan. Add the corn syrup and water or rum and, over medium heat, bring to a boil. Let boil until large bubbles form on the surface, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with foil and boil 5 minutes longer.
• Add the pieces of butter and continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until temperature reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. (The candy thermometer has a clip on the side that can be slid up or down. If desired, you can fit the thermometer on the side of the pan, making sure that it rests in the mixture, not on the bottom of the pan, so that the reading is accurate.) Remove from heat and immediately add the salt, baking soda, and 1 cup of chopped nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Pour the toffee mixture on the oiled baking tray and, using the offset spatula, spread the mixture out, making a block about 10 by 13 inches. The toffee will thicken very quickly, so work as fast as you can. When cool, blot some of the oil or vegetable spray with a clean towel.
• While the toffee mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. When almost melted, turn off heat and let the chocolate continue to melt, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
• When you can lift up the block of toffee, transfer it to a flat work surface or to a clean baking tray. Pour the melted chocolate over the toffee, spreading to cover the entire surface and, before the chocolate cools, sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts. If the chocolate takes a long time to harden, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
• Return the block of toffee to the work surface and break up into pieces approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Then cut into smaller pieces, as desired. Use as needed.

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for glass dish). Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
• BAKE 15 minutes.
• COMBINE sweetened condensed milk, egg and almond extract in large bowl; mix well. Stir in toffee pieces and almonds. Spread mixture evenly over partially baked crust.
• BAKE an additional 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° (325° glass pan).
• Grease 9x13 pan.
• To prepare crust, cream all ingredients until very well blended.
• Press evenly into pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.
• Set aside to cool while making the filling.
• Heat milk and margarine on stove, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• This will take 5-10 minutes.
• Spread over crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
• Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.
• Return to oven for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate.
• Remove from oven and spread chocolate smooth.
• Sprinkle toffee bits on top.
• Using the back of a spoon, gently press the toffee into the melted chocolate.
• Cool completely.
• Cut into bars before refrigerating.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 13x9x2 inch pan.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolk, vanilla and salt.
• Blend well.
• Beat in flour just until combined.
• Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.
• When melted, spread and sprinkle with nuts.
• Cut into squares while warm.
• Let cool completely.

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, salt, water and butter. Cook until mixture reaches 285° (soft-crack stage). Add 1/2 cup nuts. Pour onto a well-greased jelly roll pan or baking sheet; cool. Melt half of the chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave. Spread over cooled toffee and sprinkle with 1/4 cup nuts. Cool. Turn over onto another sheet of waxed paper; repeat with remaining chocolate chips and nuts. When cool, break into pieces.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (if using dark or nonstick pan, heat oven to 350°F). Grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in flour on medium speed until dough starts to form. Press dough in pan. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat 1 cup butter, the brown sugar and corn syrup to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil 2 minutes without stirring. Quickly stir in almonds; spread over baked layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until dark golden brown and bubbling.
• Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot bars. Let stand 5 minutes to soften; gently swirl chips over hot bars with spatula. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 5 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Steps:

• For the Bars.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
• Beat the butter in an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar until fluffy - about 1 minute, scraping bowl as needed.
• Beat in the egg, mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla until very well combined.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry mixture to wet and mix together, scraping bowl as needed until well combined. Stir in 3/4 C toffee pieces.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes (at 350) or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool 20-30 minutes before icing.
• For the Icing.
• In a small saucepan heat one-third cup butter over low heat until melted. Continue heating until the butter turns a light brown. This may take a few minutes. Remove from heat; pour into a medium bowl.
• Add 2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla and 1 T. milk. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium to high speed, adding enough milk to make frosting of spreading consistency. I usually add 2 more tablespoons milk.
• Use icing immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
• Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined. Fold in toffee bars, nuts, and chocolate morsels. Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake cookies until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
• To prepare topping, immediately sprinkle chocolate morsels over top of warm cookies. Return cookies to oven. Bake just until chocolate has melted, 2 minutes.
• Spread melted chocolate evenly over cookies. Sprinkle with nuts. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars.