Homemade Low FODMAP Pecan Toffee
I am not a candy eater, or I should say that I was never one to buy a candy bar from the store. Homemade candy, like this Pecan Toffee is different. It’s like a whole different animal.
When you can make candy with pure butter and real vanilla, high quality chocolate and fresh roasted nuts, that my friends, is irresistible.
English Toffee, Pecan Toffee, Buttercrunch
Crisp, butterscotchy toffee, encased in chocolate and nuts can go by many names. The classic approach, which I used to use, involved a heck of a lot of nuts.
To make this Pecan Toffee low FODMAP I took a different approach and used much less chocolate and nuts – but believe me, this is still a satisfying candy experience.
And, as homemade candy goes, it is pretty easy, too. Store bought candy can so often be filled with all sorts of chemicals and fillers that I didn’t want to eat even before FODMAPs came into my life. This recipe has everything you want and nothing you don’t. Even if you haven’t made candy before, give this one a try.
We do suggest that you have a candy thermometer handy.
For more treats worthy of Valentine’s Day check out our Valentine’s Day Cookies, Cupcakes and our article Valentine’s Day for FODMAPers.
Pecan Toffee
This low FODMAP toffee is super easy to make and rivals any toffee you've ever eaten. This is a fun recipe to make with kids.
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces (85 g) pecan halves
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 ounces (85 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, (60 % to 70%) melted
- Kosher or large flake salt, optional
Preparation:
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Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
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Spread nuts out in an even single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Toast nuts for about 12 minutes, shaking pan once during baking time, until evenly and lightly toasted. Cool completely, then chop.
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Using the same pan, line it with parchment and lightly coat with nonstick spray; set aside.
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Combine butter, sugar, water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling pan now and then top combine the ingredients. Adjust heat so that it is boiling fairly vigorously and continue to cook until a candy thermometer registers 300°F/150°C. The mixture will be a rich golden brown color. It is better to cook a bit longer, than under cook. Quickly stir in the vanilla and baking soda. Allow the bubbling to settle down, swirl pan again and pour toffee out onto prepared pan in to a large puddle. Don’t worry about the freeform shape. Tilt the pan this way and that so until the toffee is even and about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick or a tad thinner. Immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans and press them gently into toffee to adhere. Drizzle chocolate all over the nuts and sprinkle with salt, if desired.
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Let the toffee and chocolate firm up, about 1 hour in the refrigerator. Once the toffee is rock solid, you can break it up into servings pieces. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week - if it lasts that long! Ours never has.
Notes:
Tips
- Nuts can tip from low FODMAP portions to high FODMAP portions quite easily. Make sure you understand what a recipe is calling for. 1 cup of pecan halves, chopped is not the same volume as 1 cup chopped pecans. Of course, weight is exact, so you an always use that as a guide. We do recommend digital scales.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
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I followed directions exactly. My toffee burned and separated from the butter. What caused the butter rising to the top.
Hi Terry, I am not sure, since you say you followed it exactly. Here are the things I would be looking at: 1) Is my thermometer accurate and/or calibrated? 2) Did you use unsalted butter? Was it “regular” and not high fat? 3) Are your measuring implements accurate? Not all measuring cups are precise and the amount of sugar could throw things off. 4) Did you use a heavy pan that conducts heat evenly? These questions are what come to mind. So sorry it didn’t work out!