Toffee with Almonds and Dark Chocolate

First of all, let me confess that I am not particularly fond of toffee...it's usually gooey, sticky, and so tooth-achingly sweet that it ruins the palate for any other foods.  Though Almond Roca (or See's Toffee-ettes, for that matter)...well, that's a complete different breed.  Turns out this classic candy only requires a few simple ingredients and can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes!

Candy-making can be intimidating at first, I mean, sugar boiling menacingly at 200 degrees, threatening to cause second-degree burns, it certainly scared me!  As boiling sugar is in fact very dangerous, use extreme caution and do not take your eyes off the stove, as sugar has the tendency to go from luscious caramel to black and burnt in about 2 seconds.  The up side? Since the toffee is freshly made, it is crisp without being too hard, and you are at liberty to coat them with the chocolate and nuts of your choice.  I used 70% dark chocolate and it gave a nice bitter contrast to the sweet toffee.

Vanilla & Espresso Marshmallows

 

The usual response to homemade marshmallows:
"What do you mean you MAKE marshmallows at home?"

I find this response quite disturbing. The notion instilled in us that certain foods can only be mass produced in an industrial plant, by robots and machines. Is this what our fast-paced society has got planned for foods that we enjoy making and cooking now? Hmm...highly controversial topic.

Anyway, back to making marshmallows. Yes, marshmallows can be made at home. Why go through the mess and hassle when they can be cheaply and conveniently bought? Because they will taste far superior to any store-bought variety you'll ever find. And because you could.

Note that this recipe makes A LOT of marshmallows. But marshmallow-making is time-consuming, let alone extremely messy, so you might as well make more to give away!