Homemade Toffee

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

1 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of chopped nuts (optional, like almonds or pecans)

DIRECTIONS:

Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and salt, and keep stirring until the mixture becomes smooth and starts to bubble.

Continue to cook and stir the mixture for about 7-10 minutes or until it reaches the “hard crack” stage, which is around 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer. Be careful not to burn it; you want a rich golden brown color.

Once it reaches the right temperature, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Carefully pour the hot toffee onto your prepared baking sheet and spread it out evenly with a spatula …