This is a recipe that was my Grandpa Edward Williams’ speciality! He always had a tin of toffee handy and everyone used to hope he would bring the tin out! It is not a chewy toffee, it’s brittle and for sucking! It is a very dark brown colour and very tasty! Quite economical, a victorian recipe that his mother used to make. He also used to make it on the Thames sailing barge that he worked on with his father around 1900-1910.

Ingredients

1 lb soft brown sugar

Knob of butter (about 1 dessertspoonful)

1 tablespoon vinegar

3 tablespoons water

How to make it.

1. Grease with butter,  2 sandwich tins or something of equivalent size. Or line with black silicon liner (but grease around the edges if not lining them).
2. In a medium saucepan put the sugar and water and bring to the boil.
3. As soon as it starts boiling, add the butter and vinegar.
4. DO NOT STIR!!! Just let the butter gradually dissolve by itself, do not try to mix it in or the toffee will crystallise.
5. Boil gently for about 15 minutes. Do not leave unattended in case it boils over or burns. It needs a nice rolling boil, turn the heat down a bit if you think it’s too fast and frothy.
6. Have a cup of cold water ready. After 10 minutes, start testing to see if its done:
7. Pour a teaspoonful of toffee mixture into the cold water. If it sets hard, the toffee is done. If it is soft, let the mixture boil a little longer. Test about once a minute. The toffee is ready when the mixture is brittle and can be snapped after the water test.
8. Carefully pour the mixture into the tins. Remember the metal tins will be very hot once the mixture has been poured in. Leave to set.
9. Break with a small hammer when set.
10. This is best eaten fairly quickly, it tends to spoil in the fridge. Try making half the quantity in one tin to see how you get on.

Tags: butter, soft brown sugar, toffee, vinegar, water
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