Halloween idea # 12

Toffee and toffee apples are often associatied with Halloween and Bonfire Night, so I thought it would be nice to post a recipe for both recipes for either occasion. Enjoy!

Delia Smith has a wonderful recipe for her Uncle Billy's Toffee in her Complete Cookery Course cookery book. I have made it 2 or 3 times and it's yummy!

Makes about 1 1/4 lbs/575gms

1 lb Soft brown sugar (450 gms)

12 ozs Salted butter ( 350 gms)

1 teasp Malt vinegar

5 fl ozs Water (150 ml)

Lightly oil a shallow 7 1/2 inch square tin. Take your largest saucepan (toffee tends to boil over if pan is too small). A 4 1/2 or 5 pint would be ideal. Place all of the ingredients in the saucepan and bring them slowly to the boil, over a low heat - about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the sugar has completely dissolved, turn the heat up a little, insert a cooking thermometer and let the mixture bubble away (without stirring) until the temperature reaches 250F (130c) - which will take about 10 minutes. Then pour it into the prepared tin and leave to set. Turn the set toffee out onto a board and using a small hammer - or other heavy object, break it up into pieces and store in a polythene bag and tie.

If you don't own a sugar thermometer, test the toffee by dropping a teaspoon of the toffee mixture onto a saucer of cold water. If it sets immediately into a soft, pliable ball, the toffee is ready.

Toffee Apples.

This toffee apple recipe is taken from an Asda magazine.

Makes 6

6 Eating apples

450 g Demerara sugar

50g Unsalted butter

2 teasp Cider vinegar

1 tablsp Clear honey

150 ml cold water

Lolly sticks

Greaseproof paper

Wash and dry the apples (it removes the wax which will help the toffee to stick). Push a lolly stick down to the bottom into each of the apples.

Put the sugar, butter, vinegar, honey and the water into a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Boil for 10 minutes or until the mixture has turned to a toffee consistency, testing frequently by dropping a teaspoon of the mixture into a cup of cold water. If the toffee has turned hard in the cup, then it's ready. Don't worry if it looks frothy, it's normal.

Remove from the heat and dip each apple into the toffee, then stand each apple onto greaseproof paper to set and cool.

I made these a few years ago.

Eden was my taster and she approved!

Best witches!