Make It: Toffee Nut Crunch

I don't want to freak you out but there are exactly 44 days until Christmas! This year, like most every year I have promised myself not to go overboard. We are keeping the gift giving to a minimum and the decorating simple and hopefully that will reduce the stress and the inevitable holiday craziness that starts to build around mid-November.
This year because of family circumstances we are having three Christmas celebrations. The first one is this weekend at our house. I am bound and determined to do as much as possible ahead of time so today I made a batch of Toffee Nut Crunch. It's really fast and easy, just make sure to keep stirring! I am thinking I may have to make a few more batches to package in cellophane bags to give as gifts.

Toffee Nut Crunch

3/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp corn syrup

3 tbsp water

1 cup chocolate chips

1/4 finely chopped nuts 

Line a 13x9 pan with foil. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup chopped nuts.

In a heavy pot melt the butter, add the sugar, corn syrup and water.

Continually stir mixture over medium to high heat until it begins to boil. Keep stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 280 degrees F. It will be boiling rapidly, do not stop stirring or mixture with burn.

Carefully pour candy into prepared pan.

Cool for a few minutes and then sprinkle with chocolate chips. When chocolate has melted spread over base and then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts.

Chill until hard and then break into pieces.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

What's on your Christmas baking list?

Have you made anything yet?