Help! Toffee didn't set - can it be saved? | Mumsnet (2024)

FAQs

What to do if your toffee won't harden? ›

If your toffee doesn't have a hard texture (where you can snap it in half) you did not cook it long enough. Again, the 5-minutes is just a guide. Cook it until it is the color of a brown bag.

After the chocolate bits melt, gently spread them evenly. Then, sprinkle the chocolate with half of the nut mixture. Cool the toffee, uncovered, in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until it hardens.

This usually happens when the toffee mixture is heated too quickly or at too high of a temperature. Make sure to use medium heat (or medium-low) and go SLOW!

Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!

If the sauce has separated then warming it gently and stirring occasionally should help it to come back together. If it still has a film of fat on the surface after warming then whisking in a tablespoon of hot water (from a freshly boiled kettle) can also help.

If you notice the toffee separating with a greasy butter layer on top, try slowly stirring in 1 tablespoon water at a time until it comes together again.

Sometimes separated toffee or caramel can be saved by removing the saucepan from the heat and stirring constantly until it comes back together into a smooth mixture. Gradually return it to the heat, stirring constantly. You can also try adding a spoonful or two of very hot water to the toffee to help it come together.

A common problem when making toffee is crystallisation. The sugar clumps together into a white and grainy syrup that turns into a messy solid mass. To avoid starting again, try these tips. Dissolve the sugar completely before increasing the heat and bringing the mixture to the boil.

Low and slow

Simmering the syrup for English toffee to the requisite 300°F temperature can (and should) be a slow process — up to 20 minutes or so. Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture.

Once boiling, cook, stirring only 2 to 3 times, until it turns a dark amber color and the temperature reaches 285 degrees F (137 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes. Immediately pour toffee into the prepared baking dish.

What is the difference between English toffee and regular toffee? ›

English Toffee is a nationwide favorite that is easily made with only a few ingredients. The difference between regular toffee and English Toffee is one important ingredient – butter! I make English Toffee throughout the year for special occasions and it's always a big hit.

In cooking brittle, the baking soda is added right before the candy is poured, while toffee is cooked longer after the soda is added. This lets much of the carbon dioxide escape, leaving the toffee less brittle. In the end, they are cooked in much the same way, but with a few key differences.

It's a treacle toffee, family recipe! Thanks! put it back in the saucepan and reheat it. It usually means it didn't get hot enought the first time.

For maximum taste and texture, we do recommend that you either enjoy your toffee immediately, or store it in a refrigerator or freezer. Once opened, unrefrigerated product will retain maximum freshness for about a week.

Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture.

Sometimes separated toffee or caramel can be saved by removing the saucepan from the heat and stirring constantly until it comes back together into a smooth mixture. Gradually return it to the heat, stirring constantly. You can also try adding a spoonful or two of very hot water to the toffee to help it come together.

Long slow boils cause more sugar inversion, inverted sugar is hygroscopic (attracts water) and will make your candy sticky.