Cookaholics Bulletin Board

My mom called the other day to inform me her toffee tins were empty. I'll be making another batch soon. There's something about successfully making toffee that makes me feel very competent.

I see Marilyn's Toffee remains legend!!!

My friend had a craving for toffee and I made 1/2 a batch today. I absolutely love this recipe but I've never been able to temper the chocolate. It pains me to no end. I've mention this before OTOB and even tried Frank's suggestion but nothing and I do mean nothing works. It's very humid here and that is probably a huge factor. Amy, help! I am willing to pay a small fortune for a mini tempering machine if that would help. I refrigerate my toffee because the chocolate would melt. I would love to mail the toffee to my friends without having to worry about the chocolate melting. Would the tempering machine solve my problem? Do you allow the sugar to cool completely before adding your tempered chocolate? Thanks everyone for listening and your help.

Lu

Toffee

Who is Marilyn? Was she someone from TOBB? I looked there, but I can't seem to get back far enough to find the original post, and I can't find a member named Marilyn.

I've heard you all talk about this for years, but never really looked at the recipe before because I'm not a big candy maker/eater. I have a recipe in my files from 30 years ago, that I have labeled Dawn's Heath Bar Candy (my sister-in-law), and it's the same thing, except it has a pound of chocolate instead of 12 ounces. Dawn used to give it out every Christmas back in the 1980's. I asked her where she got it, and she said her mother used to make it when she was a girl (she's in her mid 50's now).

Not criticizing - just curious as to the origin of the recipe. It looks like an old time recipe given a new breath of life.

Marilyn's username here and at TOBB is bunnyw. She's not as active here as she once was due to a career change (I surmise).

Lu,

The humidity is what is killing you. It's very difficult to temper chocolate in less than optimal conditions, i.e., correct ambient temperature and humidity. Instead of a tempering machine, an air conditioner or dehumidifier would serve you better.

Amy

Love Marilyn's toffee, a holiday favorite. Strangly enough the holidays are not that far off.....where do the days go?

Chocolate will melt if it gets too hot - regardless of whether it is tempered. I don't believe tempering changes the melting point, just gives it a nice sheen and snap. If you are mailing it you will take the chance that it will melt unless you ship with dry ice.

FWIW I never temper the chocolate on my toffee. Of course where I live I have more worries about stuff freezing than melting most of the year

I also do not temper the chocolate when I make Marilyn's Toffee. if you like, you can order pre tempered chocolate online. That is what I use for my truffles....I just googled pate a glacer and you can find a vendor. I happened to find a local vendor willing to sell me some.
Ilene

Thanks everyone for your tips...Amy, maybe I need to move back to NYC to temper my chocolate ...my friend along with "baby Jaden" loved the toffee...

Gardnercook...I assume you refrigerate your toffee to prevent melting?...I've tried using the store bought tempered coins...it does work but the taste is pretty bland IMO...

Thanks again!

Lu