National English Toffee Day is on January 8thand people every year celebrate the richness of America’s Toffee variant and encourage us to cherish this much-loved confection. Now, I have a question for you. Did you know that the English Toffee enjoyed by millions of people across the U.S. is slightly different from the original?
The rich and delicious variant of original Toffee was invented in England and is sometimes called American Toffee or Buttercrunch because of how it is prepared with white Sugar and a variety of Nuts. The original English Toffee does not contain Nuts, although it is equally delicious.
Even though January 8th has passed it is the day set aside to celebrate National English Toffee Day. Toffee is made by Caramelizing Sugar or Molasses with Butter and sometimes Flour and then heated to the hard crack stage before optionally mixing Toffee with Raisins or Nuts.
The Toffee is then poured into a tray to cool into a slab that can be broken into pieces and eaten. The National Confectioners Association recognizes National English Toffee Dayas a reminder of the richness of America’s Toffee variant and encourages us to indulge in the much-loved confection.
Although millions of people enjoy English Toffee across the U.S. for its chewy and tantalizing nature and aroma, Toffee only came to be sometime during the 1800s. The Oxford English Dictionary first mentioned the word ‘Toffee’ in 1825. England and other European Countries had plenty of Butter, and Toffee was the perfect sweet to make with it.
If you have the means and the opportunity you can celebrate National English Toffee Day by eating English Toffee, cooking English Toffee with all the needed ingredients, and making some for yourself and your family.
If you are industrious, you can even make a business out of creating Toffee to sell. Spend the day exploring your nearest Toffee Shops if there is one near you to grab some of the wide variety of English Toffee available for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Remind everyone you know that they can enjoy Toffee with Milk or dark Chocolate for a more delicious taste.
National English Toffee Day Activities
- Take the opportunity on January 8th to celebrate National English Toffee Day by eating English Toffee!
- There is no better way to put your personal touch on the Toffee you eat on National English Toffee Day than to make your own. I’ve included a recipe for you below.
- Take the opportunity today to help people make the most out of National English Toffee Day by sharing your recipe!
- When eating English Toffee today you can share online using the hashtag #NationalEnglishToffeeDay or #EnglishToffeeDay.
Facts About Sweets
- One of the main ingredients in English Toffee, is the fat from the Butter which makes Toffee richer!
- According to legend, Toffee got its name from ‘Tafia,’ a Mediterranean Rum made from Molasses used as a flavoring agent in Candy.
- Did you know before Sugar was readily available in the ancient Western world, the Egyptians and Greeks used honey to make Candy and sweets?
- Sugar and desserts have a long history in India and they developed the technology to produce Sugar Crystals that they call ‘Khanda,’ which is the source of the word ‘Candy.’
- Although the National Confectioners Association recognizes National English Toffee Day, the founders and origin of National English Toffee Day are unknown.
Why People Love National English Toffee Day
The Americanized English Toffee tastes delicious with Almonds, Chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel, Cookies, and more!
English Toffee is a Buttery Toffee that is often made with Almonds and tastes divine. National English Toffee Day serves as an opportunity to enjoy this concoction.
Although English Toffee is not actually how it is made in England, they are both enjoyed the same way!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 cups butter, softened, divided
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup and salt; cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 295° (hard-crack stage). Quickly pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour.
- In a microwave, heat chocolate chips for 30 seconds; stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread over toffee. Sprinkle with pecans. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
