Who can resist the allure of English Toffee Bars? These delightful treats have a rich history that dates back to the 19th century England, where they were a staple in many households. Over the years, they’ve made their way across the world, gaining popularity due to their sweet taste and easy preparation. What I love about these bars is their simplicity. With just a handful of ingredients like graham crackers, brown sugar, margarine, milk chocolate pieces, and nuts, you can create a dessert that’s truly hard to resist. The combination of sweet toffee and rich chocolate topped with crunchy nuts creates a texture and flavor contrast that’s undeniably delicious. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile – serve them at a party, a picnic, or simply enjoy one (or two!) with your afternoon tea. In this blog post, I’ll share my tried and tested recipe for English Toffee Bars along with some tips and tricks to get them just right. So, put on your apron and let’s get baking!
Ingredients
- 15 graham crackers
- 1 c. packed brown sugar
- 1 c. margarine or butter
- 1 (6 oz.) pkg. milk chocolate pieces
- 1/4 c. chopped nuts
Baking Instructions
- Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with
- aluminum
- foil. Grease well.
- Arrange crackers on bottom of
- pan, breaking, if necessary, to completely cover pan.
- Combine
- brown
- sugar and margarine
- in a medium pan.
- Cook and
- stir
- over
- medium-high heat until mixture boils.
- Remove from heat;
- pour over crackers.
- Bake
- in a
- 400°
- oven 5 minutes.
- Remove
- from
- oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces.
- When chocolate is soft, spread over top of sugar mixture.
- Sprinkle
- with
- nuts. Chill in the refrigerator 30 minutes.
- Break
- into
- bite
- size pieces.
- Makes 24 to 36 pieces.
Calorie: 150
Total cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Great Cracker Catastrophe
Let me tell ya, last Tuesday was not just any ordinary day. It was the day I decided to prepare English Toffee Bars. But not just any English Toffee Bars—ones with 15 graham crackers, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 cup of margarine, a package of milk chocolate pieces, and a sprinkle of chopped nuts. Sounds simple right? Well, buckle up, buttercup.
Operation Graham Cracker
First things first. I prepared the 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. This is where things got real interesting. I pulled out the graham crackers, ready to line them up on the bottom of the pan. But, of course, they didn’t fit perfectly. So, like a puzzle master, I broke the crackers into various pieces trying to completely cover the pan. The scene resembled a toddler’s failed art project.
The Sugary Sweat Sesh
Next up, the brown sugar and margarine. Now, I don’t know about you, but I like my margarine like I like my jokes—spread thick and often. Into a medium pan they went, and I cooked and stirred on medium-high heat until the mixture boiled. This was a workout, my friends. By the end of it, I was sweating more than a snowman in a sauna.
The Oven Ordeal
Once I felt like I had burned enough calories for a small elephant, I removed the mixture from the heat and poured it over the crackers. Into the 400° oven it went for 5 minutes. In the meantime, I did what every sensible person does while waiting for something to bake—I danced to 80’s hits in my kitchen.
The Chocolate Challenge and Nutty Nuisance
When the timer dinged, I yanked the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkled it with milk chocolate pieces. As the chocolate softened, I spread it over the sugar mixture. Now, I’m no Van Gogh, but I swear it looked like a beautiful, delicious piece of abstract art. I finished off my masterpiece with a sprinkle of chopped nuts.
The Great Chill
Into the fridge it went for 30 minutes. Now, you’d think this would be my moment of relaxation, but no. This was the longest, most torturous half hour of my life. I swear I could hear the bars mocking me from the fridge, “You can’t have us yet, ha-ha!”
The Sweet Victory
Finally, the time came. Those bad boys were chilled and ready. I broke them into bite-sized pieces, and let me tell ya, they looked like little nuggets of pure happiness. All in all, I ended up with about 24 to 36 pieces, depending on how you define “bite-sized.”
So, there you have it. That’s the tale of my English Toffee Bar extravaganza. Was it a smooth journey? No. Were there times when I questioned my life choices? Yes. Would I do it again? Absolutely, because nothing beats the taste of victory… and chocolate.
