Almond Toffee

A friend Susan Butters gave me this recipe in 1986. When Susan was in High School the owner of a well-known candy store demonstrated this recipe in the Home Economics class. Susan noted the ingredients and has been making this candy for years. I admit that I have made it several times, perfectly. Other times it is edible, but I have had various problems with it turning out just right. It is a VERY GOOD candy and friends and relatives look foreward to a box for special occasions.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  cup water
• 1  lb butter (4 cubes)
• 2  cups  raw  almonds
• 16  ounces  hershey plain  milk chocolate candy bars
• 1 1⁄3 cups  raw  almonds, ground fine

Directions

1. Using a heavy cooking pot, add the sugar and water, and without stirring, bring the mixture to a temperature of 230*.
2. On an electric stove the burner is kept on high the entire time. (When I make it on a gas stove I also keep the burner on high flame.).
3. When the temperature reaches 230* add the butter, 1 stick at a time, stirring constantly in a figure 8 until each is melted.
4. Add 2 cups of whole raw almonds and continue cooking until the mixture is a caramel color.
5. Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet (NO NOT scrape the pot!) and immediately set on packed snow, or float in ice water to cool.(If there was no snow, Susan added water and lots of ice to the bathtub.).
6. Melt the 2 chocolate bars in a microwave. Grind the 1 1/3 cup raw almonds fine or put them in a blender.
7. After the candy has cooled, spread with the chocolate, and dust heavily with the ground almonds. Turn over and repeat on the other side. Let stand for a few hours to 'set'. Break into pieces and ENJOY!
8. I have no idea how many servings this would be called -- .