How to make toffee (2024)

What is toffee?

Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.

What equipment you’ll need

A large, heavy-based saucepan, preferably in a light colour so that you can see the colour of the toffee changing.
Wooden spoon
Pastry brush

Step 1

Combine 2 cups caster sugar, ⅔ cup water and 1 tbs white vinegar in the saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely then immediately stop stirring. Don’t be tempted to stir it any further or you will interrupt the caramelising process and risk the toffee not forming.

Step 2

Increase the heat to high and bring the toffee syrup to the boil without stirring. Allow the liquid to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until golden. To prevent sugar crystals forming on the sides of the pan, brush down the sides with a wet pastry brush every few minutes.

Step 3

Once golden, take the pan off the heat and allow to sit for a minute, or until the mix stops bubbling. Your toffee is now ready to use.

Tips and variations

If you’d prefer a softer toffee, try adding ½ tsp cream of tartar at the start of the recipe.
If you’d like to colour the toffee, add the food dye at the end of the cooking process to ensure your toffee reaches the right stage.
If you want to add embellishments to the top of your toffee, have it all prepared and ready to sprinkle as soon as you finish. Once the toffee in poured out of the hot pan it will set very quickly, so be all ready to go.

How to use your toffee

Turn your liquid toffee into a range of delicious confectionery, such as the following:

Kids toffees

Place patty cases in a muffin tin and half fill each one with the golden toffee. Sprinkle over hundreds and thousands or toasted nuts and set aside for 15-20 minutes to set.

Toffee nut shards

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Cover with ½ cup toasted nuts of your choice, keeping them away from the edges. Pour the hot toffee over the nuts, shake to evenly distribute, then set aside for 10 minutes. Break the toffee into shards and serve.

Toffee apples

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Push confectionary sticks into the top of 12 small apples. Dip an apple into the toffee, allow the excess to drain off, then stand the toffee apple on the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining apples, then allow them to set for 20 minutes of until set.