Happy New Year! It's that time again when I slowly float back down from cloud nine, and settle back into our everyday post-holiday life. And believe me, I'm landing on some very freezing cold ground! I sure hope you had a wonderfully relaxing and happy holiday! We enjoyed every moment of it. My family and I so look forward to the quiet time of that last week or so of the year and even with all the high expectations, it never seems to disappoint.
It made me realize how wonderful the gift of time really is. Not having to rush and having plenty of time to spend with each other, cozy and snug (which we were in general except for a 16-hour power outage), lingering over meals and savoring the calm for about 10 days straight is really as good as it gets for me. I think my husband and I get recharged and live off of the annual holiday hiatus for months after.
Now, while the holiday baking frenzy has come and gone (and it was glorious while it lasted!), I wanted to share the last treat I made before the New Year. I always like the idea of making toffee and candies because it's not only a lovely little nibble to add to all the Christmas cookies, it's great for gift-giving. Pop some into a bag, jar, or tin, and you've got a lovely little hostess gift.
This time, I made hazelnut toffee, with big chunks of whole roasted hazelnuts, topped with a coating of dark chocolate. You can add a sprinkle of sea salt on top to finish but I kept it plain. I'm always a little nervous when it comes to making toffee but it's so rewarding in the end. If you use a candy thermometer and cook the mixture to 300 degrees, you'll end up with toffee that's just properly firm and crunchy but infinitely easy to bite into and eat.
I'm a big fan of this since I love hazelnuts and there is obviously plenty of delicious hazelnut flavor and aroma in this toffee. And the dark chocolate layer on top is a must-have in my book. Honestly, a great homemade toffee isn't hard to make and maybe we shouldn't relegate it to the holidays. I'm sure most people would enjoy a little homemade toffee in their life any time of the year! Although with Chinese New Year coming up, I can't help but think this toffee would make a great sweet gift for the occasion as well.
Now, while the holiday baking frenzy has come and gone (and it was glorious while it lasted!), I wanted to share the last treat I made before the New Year. I always like the idea of making toffee and candies because it's not only a lovely little nibble to add to all the Christmas cookies, it's great for gift-giving. Pop some into a bag, jar, or tin, and you've got a lovely little hostess gift.
I'm a big fan of this since I love hazelnuts and there is obviously plenty of delicious hazelnut flavor and aroma in this toffee. And the dark chocolate layer on top is a must-have in my book. Honestly, a great homemade toffee isn't hard to make and maybe we shouldn't relegate it to the holidays. I'm sure most people would enjoy a little homemade toffee in their life any time of the year! Although with Chinese New Year coming up, I can't help but think this toffee would make a great sweet gift for the occasion as well.
