Sunday, February 21, 2016

My Homespun Year...Super duper easy peasy toffees!

 Everyone loves toffees.

Well, except for those who have, for whatever reason, given up the joys of a little sweetness in their day. But I guess you replace that with sweet joys of other kinds.

I grew up in an era where you could *shock horror* buy a toffee from the school canteen for one cent. Yes, it's true. It was allowed. They were an inexpensive treat, loved by Mums and School Canteens alike for their simplicity of preparation, and minimal ingredients.

These days for some reason, we've been fooled into thinking you need a candy thermometer, exotic ingredients and a science degree, to make toffee. Well that can't be true because I've been making them since I was ten years old (I was a very responsible ten year old who grew up at the kitchen bench, mind you!).

Toffees, my way, need just three ingredients.

1 cup white sugar
3/4  cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

You also need: 

Cupcake papers or chocolate papers to pour the toffee in to OR baking paper and craft sticks, where you can pour the toffee making circles, and turn it into lollipops. 

A small heatproof glass jug into which to pour the toffee to make it easier to transfer into the papers.

Cake sprinkles, metallic cake cachous as pictured here, hundreds and thousands or even coconut, if you want to put something in them to make them more fun. 

Put your liners into muffin pans. I used miniature muffin pans and mini chocolate papers to make these ones. Drop in a few sprinkles or whatever, and set them aside.

Then you just:

Put the ingredients in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly over high temperature, till the sugar dissolves, which takes about five minutes. 

Turn it down to a medium heat, and let it bubble away for about 15 minutes. 

Now the way I test for whether it's ready, without a candy thermometer, is to have a glass of iced water close by. I dip a teaspoon into the bubbling toffee (careful, a sugar burn is very painful...I've never had one though, because I've used that rare thing called 'common sense'....lol!), then put the teaspoon into the iced water for about a minute. Take the teaspoon out and test the toffee with your teeth. If it's chewy, let it simmer for another couple of minutes and test again. If it's hard, it's ready.

I can tell by how the bubbles look, whether my toffee is done. Usually all the froth has subsided, and the bubbles look a little like this.

At this stage, you can add a little food colouring to make coloured toffees if you wish.

 Carefully pour this into your glass jug, and immediately use the jug to pour into your waiting papers. Alternatively pour onto the baking paper, using a spoon to form a round, and push the craft sticks into the liquid toffee, to form a stick.

Set them aside at room temperature to go hard, and enjoy! That's it!

In other news, thankyou for all your lovely birthday wishes for my birthday last week.

I'm a lucky girl, who not only is being treated to the ballet this coming Tuesday, but who also received lovely books, lovely jewels, and a lovely new camera. Thankyou lovely family :)


 I'm putting my feet up with aforementioned book today, having already prepared healthy veges for a stir fry for lunch.


 The garden has been entertaining us with a wild display of coloured bromeliads the last few weeks, so I thought I'd share....




Have a beautiful Sunday everyone.

...Mimi...

13 comments:

  1. Hi Mimi, this is an eerie coincidence. Only last night I made a batch of toffee to show my teenage daughter how it was done. No thermometer in sight, just the cup of iced water. We coloured ours yellow and made ours 'chewy' toffee as that's how I like them.
    thank you for your lovely blog. Linda

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  2. Who doesn't love toffee. Love the easy peasy part. The flowers are gorgeous, so colorful and fun.

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    1. Toffee is part of my childhood memories Linda. You too? Mimi xxx

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  3. Hello, lovely friend! Oh my, your toffee's look and sound delicious! I would love to make some for my husband as I have an idea it would be a delightful treat that he would enjoy :) Thanks for sharing how to make them.

    Have a blessed week, dear one. Love to you!

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  4. I remember toffees being common at school. We very rarely were allowed to buy anything from the canteen, however they were also always seen at school cake stalls and I may have bought one or two there ;)
    I don't have a thermometer, but have managed on occasion to make toffee. Mostly successfully, sometimes less than officially successful - but really, sugar and water - it's successful whether it sets or not in a child's eyes!

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  5. Mimi, I didn't realise it was your birthday recently. I hope you had a lovely day. I can remember mum making toffee. No need for a thermometer that's for sure :-)

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  6. Every time I see 'My homespun year' I can't wait to read the post. I'm loving this series! Am I right in thinking toffee lasts for a while? Assuming I managed to hide it from the kids that is lol.

    Have a lovely time at the ballet!

    Jen

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  7. Your toffee looks wonderful...and the best thing is how easy it is to make!
    Mary Alice

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  8. Your toffees sound marvelous but oh, my! Your flowers are the best! (And happy belated birthday!)
    Blessings, Leigh

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  9. Wow Mimi your toffee sounds so yummy!
    Thanks for sharing this recipe to make them with us at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
    Enjoy the week.
    Julie xo

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  10. Your toffee looks gorgeous Mimi! My daughter has also been cooking/baking in the kitchen at a very young age (4!!!). What blessings she brings to our table now! :)

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  11. This sounds awesome!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx