English Toffee*

HAVE SETUP AND READY: ? Large cookie sheet covered with foil, sprayed very?lightly with pam. ? Milk chocolate pieces (1/2 small bag of chocolate chips works well for one batch) ? 1/2 cup roasted, slivered almonds sitting?beside the?stove (Trader Joes has nice, well priced ones.) ? 1 and 1/3 cups well packed?dark or light brown sugar (I use dark) 2 sticks butter ? Put sugar and butter in medium sized, teflon lined, heavy sauce pan.? Over medium heat, stir constantly and once the butter has completely melted, stir it vigorously until the butter is completely incorporated into the sugar.??Clip the candy thermometer onto the pan and continue cooking (always over medium heat) while stirring constantly until thermometer exactly reaches 300 degrees.? (I squat, to exact eye level with the thermometer, as it nears?300.)? ? Working quickly, remove from heat, stir in nuts (mixture will be slimy and pulled away from sides of pan) and pour onto foil.? Spread out as thin as possible with wooden spoon.? (The thinner it is the crispier it will be.)? If the cooking temperature is off one degree,?the toffee will be chewy but still good, however, it is known to pull out fillings and crowns.? ? Top with chocolate pieces and while they are melting spread it around with a knife.? Place a kitchen towel on the refrigerator shelf, if it is glass, and put the?cookie sheet on the towel.? The towel is necessary because the cookie sheet is very hot.? Allow it to cool for several hours. ? Take out of fridge, remove it from the foil breaking into large hunks and with a paper towel,?gently and lightly, wipe both sides of the toffee with powdered sugar.? Break up into small, serving sized pieces and keep stored in fridge in container with lid. ? Once in a long while, and I don't know why, the butter will separate out when you are putting it on the foil and it is ruined. ? *Note, after you master this you'll be able to make a double batch at one time; I always do.?