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An irresistible buttery treat is found in this Easy Homemade English Toffee Almond Roca Recipe. Thick crunchy English toffee is wrapped from top to bottom in chocolate and chopped almonds! The perfect Holiday Treat and Gift.

I’ve always loved Almond Roca in the pretty pink tin, each piece individually wrapped in gold foil. A delicious buttery crunchy sweet gift!

So when a family member shared their exceptional recipe for Homemade Almond Roca I had to give it a try. That was years ago, and I’ve been making it, from time to time, ever since.

Let me start out by saying “I’m NOT a candy maker”!!! 100% I don’t make candy! I grew-up watching my Mom and Aunt dipping homemade chocolates every year during the Holidays! Which means I also grew-up watching the overwhelming frustration they had each year trying to “temper” the chocolate. (It tempered them! BIG TIME! Therapy may have been needed for all of us!) Little white specks would start showing up 18 hours later…followed by colorful language! “Happy Holidays!”. (It was rough y’all!)

It didn’t take me long to swear-off candy making as part of my skill set!

So, when I tell you this Toffee candy is easy to make… I mean what I say! I can also promise you that this version of Old Fashioned Almond Roca will become sought after by friends and family! It’s just that incredibly good!

How To Make Easy Copy Cat Almond Roca

*Please be mindful that this recipe calls for toffee that will hit temps of 300° degrees! Always be Extremely Careful when working with any type of hard candy recipe!

Prep is key to this recipe. Once the toffee is ready, it must be poured immediately!

Begin by lining a heavy-duty baking sheet with parchment paper. This will make clean-up a breeze and prevent the candy from sticking to the pan.

Using a food processor, chop enough whole almonds to create 2 cups of semi-finely chopped almonds. I say “semi” because I like a few bigger nuggets. It adds great texture. Also, you can use any type of nut in this recipe.

Tip: You can “hand chop” them, I’m lazy and let that food processor do all the work. Set chopped nuts aside.

In the same food processor, chop 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Please note you can substitute mini semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of “grating” or “chopping” the bigger chocolate chips. I would like to point out though, that the grated, or processed, chocolate melts better and covers the baking sheet more evenly.

TIP: You can use milk chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet. I love the combo of sweet toffee, with the slightly less sweet semisweet chocolate. However, if you like milk chocolate you can use milk chocolate chips.

On your lined baking sheet evenly sprinkle half the chopped almonds. Follow this with half of the grated chocolate.

You want to make sure you do the bottom layer in this exact order. Nuts followed by chocolate. This is your base for the hot toffee, and we want the chocolate right up against the pipping hot toffee, so it will melt.

Set the bowls of nuts and chocolate aside while you prepare the English Toffee.

How To Prepare English Toffee

In a medium heavy sauce pan, combine 2 cups of regular salted butter (no substitutions), 2 cups of white granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

You’ll note this toffee recipe has no water! There’s a reason for that…it doesn’t need it. It creates the perfect buttery rich toffee that melts in your mouth. Don’t add water. I know it goes against the grain…but just trust me.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted.

Allow mixture to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a golden amber color, and the temperature reaches 285° – 300°. (137 degrees C).

TIP: I highly recommend having a candy thermometer handy if possible. If you do not have a thermometer, the best indicator that it is ready, is the color. The color of a beautiful golden caramel. If you pull it off too soon it will be chewy, and you will lose the crunch you’re trying to achieve!

Stir consistently to prevent burning. As this mixture begins to turn color, it does so very quickly.

TIP: Make sure to use a silicone spatula and scrape the edges around the bottom of the pan, the toffee tends to turn more quickly around the bottom edges, and can easily burn.

As soon as the toffee has reached the desired color and temperature, turn off the heat. Using hot pads carefully remove the pan from the stove.

CAUTION:PLEASE DO NOT have small children around you when doing this part! This toffee is EXTREMELY HOT!!!

Finishing the English Toffee Almond Roca

Pour the hot toffee carefully over the prepared pan with the chocolate and the nuts. Try to pour it as evenly as possible, but don’t stress if it isn’t completely covered. (This is not like me trying to cover my granny arm wings! I’m like a crow about to take flight! It’s gonna be okay! You’ll spread it out in just a minute.)

Using a silicone spatula, quickly and carefully, spread the toffee to the edges of the pan. It will spread nicely without much pressure. Careful…that pan may be hot!

Sprinkle the other half of the grated chocolate on top of the hot toffee as evenly as possible. DO NOT TOUCH IT! (I’m starting to feel like a mother hen…but PLEASE be careful!)

Allow the chocolate to sit for a minute or two to soften. Using the spatula, or a metal knife, spread the chocolate into a thin even layer.

Sprinkle the other half of the chopped almonds over the chocolate, and press slightly.

TIP: Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess. It also means you can’t lick the melted chocolate off your fingers! You decide which method works best for you and your holiday stress level.

Place the toffee in a cool place, or in the refrigerator, to chill until set.

Breaking and Storing English Toffee

Break into pieces. I use a butter knife and my meat tenderizer to make breaking the toffee a snap! (Did you get that pun? I’m here all week my friends!) It makes me feel like a divine Chocolate carving goddess!

Doesn’t that look amazing! It tastes even better! You won’t be able to eat just one piece! (Speaking from my husbands experience…lol. That’s the story I’m sticking with!)

You can store the toffee in an airtight container…if it isn’t gone before you get a chance!

Another tip I want to share with you…all those toffee bits and pieces left in the bottom of the pan after you package up the toffee…DO NOT THROW THEM AWAY! They make the best Ice Cream Topping! (Yes! I know this from experience. Those “arm wings” didn’t grow without help!)

One of the things that makes this recipe different from other English Toffee Recipes you’ll find, is that both the top and bottom are covered in chocolate and nuts! If you’re gonna do something…do it right my friends!

This really is the BEST Toffee Ever! It’s super easy to prepare. A few simple ingredients and you have an amazing Christmas treat!

I always get compliments and requests for more! It’s a fantastic gift to give to friends and neighbors during the Holidays!

It’s so inviting sitting out in a favorite candy dish on a table. It will magically disappear…I promise!

Other Favorite Holiday Candy and Treat Recipes

• Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
• Easy Salted Peanut Chews
• Rolo Pretzel Turtle Bites
• Snowball Cookie Recipe
• Homemade Caramel Candies
• Raspberry White Chocolate Bars
• Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Balls from Julia’s Simply Southern
• Simple Ginger Bread Truffles from A Red Spatula

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me today! I hope you enjoy this family traditional English Toffee Almond Roca Recipe this Holiday Season!

Happy Nesting!

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