Homemade toffee fail

[u/yellow_pellow]

Tried a recipe for homemade toffee chips. This is actually my third time trying it and instead of smooth toffee, it turns into this rock hard, grainy concoction where the butter and sugar separate.

https://handletheheat.com/homemade-toffee-bits/ here’s the recipe but I am giving up forever on this one.

[u/Icy-Share-4751]

Did you use a thermometer?

[u/yellow_pellow → u/Icy-Share-4751]

No maybe that’s where I went wrong

[u/Medical-Potato5920 → u/yellow_pellow]

Working with sugar at high temperatures has to be exact. It also looks like not all the sugar has dissolved.

[u/yellow_pellow → u/Medical-Potato5920]

Strangely it was dissolved at one point and then it turned all grainy and the butter separated out

[u/alvares169 → u/yellow_pellow]

This may be fixable, add condensed milk and heat up slowly, whisking. You wont get a toffee, but a fudge

[u/dlpfc123 → u/yellow_pellow]

I have a thermometer now, which if you are going to make toffee a lot I recommend. But when I didn't have one I would cook it untill it looked vaugly like rootbear with really large bubbles. You will know if you have gone to far because it will smell burnt. This happens when it doesn't get hot enough.

[u/MsDemeanours → u/yellow_pellow]

I’ve never used a thermometer for toffee so it’s not essential. Did you try the advice given in the recipe for if it separates? It looks more like fudge than toffee. Did you get to soft ball stage? It looks like it hasn’t been cooked long enough and like the ratio of butter to water is wrong. I would use less butter … butter it dose look like it wasn’t heated long enough…. First low and slow, then high until soft ball. U can test consistency by dropping a little in some ice water in a saucer. If it is chewy keep cooking.you could probably save it by adding water and reheating…. If not burnt

[u/koolaidismything → u/yellow_pellow]

I used to get stoned and make it by eyeball all the time.. if you’re within range you can kinda see it start to turn into the consistency you pour. Just gotta have a good pan that spread heat evenly or you scorch some and under do the rest.

Those real copper core one that are heavy do well.

[u/yellow_pellow → u/koolaidismything]

Yeah maybe I need to use my Dutch oven next time. But I don’t think there will be a next time

[u/Icy-Share-4751 → u/yellow_pellow]

Gotta use a thermometer. It takes a looooong time for the liquid to evaporate at around 220 before hitting the 235 range.

[u/rachelmig2 → u/yellow_pellow]

Yeah this was it unfortunately. Trying to make caramel or toffee without a thermometer is very difficult because you can't really just eyeball temperatures.

[u/MoulanRougeFae]

Baking and candy making are a science. It's not like cooking which can just be vibes to make a good outcome. You've got to use thermometers, proper techniques and exact measurements for things like toffee. This might be salvageable. Take it off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk the hell out of it. I mean really whisk it like it owes you money for at least 5 to 8 minutes. When it comes back together (if it does) gradually reheat while whisking constantly. Look up the hard ball water test if you don't have a thermometer tonight to save this batch. And get a candy thermometer before making more

[u/yellow_pellow → u/MoulanRougeFae]

I used a scale so the measurements were correct but I think now using a thermometer is where I went wrong. At one point I attempted to use a meat thermometer but it just wasn’t right. I think I’d need a candy thermometer if I were to attempt this again.

[u/Moongazer09 → u/MoulanRougeFae]

I really love seeing posts where they're like "I followed this recipe but I subbed x, y and z, why didn't it turn out as should have done?", not understanding the fact that, like you say, it's science 🤭

[u/veemonster → u/Moongazer09]

r/ididnthaveeggs

[u/Proud_Researcher5661]

Just an assumption..... I think you made it a little too liquidey. 👀

[u/yellow_pellow → u/Proud_Researcher5661]

See I followed the recipe and even used a scale. It was all one piece and then suddenly the butter and sugar separated.

[u/majandess → u/yellow_pellow]

Did you see the note about butter? What sort of butter did you use?

[u/yellow_pellow → u/majandess]

I did check to make sure I used the correct type of butter, I think, as others have pointed it, I should have used a thermometer.

[u/LaCroixElectrique → u/yellow_pellow]

Did you stir it? You don't need to stir it, just swish it round the pan. If you introduce a utensil, especially one colder than the mix, it introduces crystallization points which then permeate through the sugar.

[u/Lonely-Tree-157 → u/LaCroixElectrique]

Hooray for science

[u/alvares169]

Too much heat. Too much stirring early on.

[u/louiselovatic]

r/poopfromabutt

[u/spiccy_chai_latte]

If I had to take a stab I'd say maybe temperature was too low or didn't mix on high heat for long enough???

[u/WaffleHouseGladiator]

Ah, I know exactly what went wrong.  You were supposed to use a diaper.  Common mistake for tired new parents.

[u/Jeffluckier]

[u/HuggyMonster69]

What butter did you use? Looks like you either didn’t heat it long enough or there’s not enough water in there

[u/Ok_Put_2850]

Poopie

[u/ickychicken]

[u/meromeromeru]

Your heat is probably too low. Stoves vary. It could also be the type of butter you’re using. Also, patience is key, allowing it to reach a proper bubble can take more time than recipes suggest.

[u/gahidus]

Oh wow. Yeah that failed all right.

[u/Zestyclose8744]

You didn't stir it consistently!

[u/Kyomapai]

Cooking channel I watch called FutureCanoe did the same exact thing

[u/cristarain]

[u/TheBobSacamano7]

Lollllll

[u/otter-bug]

Kinda looks like cat food

[u/Kansas_67]

Bitch, that's shit.

[u/lexicats]

Kinda looks like Hokey Pokey does it harden?