Toasted Pumpkin Seed Toffee
A high altitude tested recipe for buttery, crunchy homemade toffee, loaded with toasted pumpkin seeds and sprinkled with flaky salt.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Large Baking Sheet + Parchment Paper
- Heavy Bottomed Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp water
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda, optional
- 1 ¼ cups raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
- ¼ tsp flaky finishing salt
Instructions
Getting Ready
- Measure all your ingredients so everything is ready to go.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds to give them more flavor (optional). You can do this by spreading them onto a baking sheet and toasting them in a 300-degree oven for about 5-7 minutes. Then pour the seeds into a bowl and set aside until needed.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, so it's ready for the toffee.
- Be sure to use a heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven for even heat distribution. Clip a digital candy thermometer to the side of the pot to monitor the temperature.
- Set a glass or bowl of ice water next to the stove.
- Eliminate distractions, as you do not want to step away from the stove while you're cooking the toffee.
Cook the Toffee
- Over medium or medium/low heat, melt the butter in the stock pot. Then add the water, corn syrup, salt and sugar, pouring the sugar gently into the middle of the butter.
- Let the sugar start to dissolve and melt into the butter, then use your wooden spoon to gently stir the mixture. Avoid stirring the sugar against the side of the pot, as sugar crystals could cause the toffee to crystallize. When the sugar looks mostly dissolved, rinse off your spoon to rid it of sugar crystals. If you see any sugar crystals on the side of the pot, wash them down with a wet pastry brush.
- As the sugar starts to bubble and boil, continue to stir it constantly but slowly, by lazily moving the wooden spoon through the sugar mixture to keep it from scorching on the bottom of the pot. You want to slowly cook the sugar over moderate heat (between medium and medium low), or you risk burning it.
- If you're using an accurate digital candy thermometer, watch as the temperature gets closer to the hard crack stage (300-310F at sea level or 290-300F at 5,000 feet elevation). For the best crunch, aim for cooking your toffee to the upper end of the range of the hard crack stage. If you stop at the lower end of the range, it can still have a little chew under the crunch.
- If you're not using a thermometer, watch the subtle color changes of the sugar, as it starts to deepen in color and scent. Drizzle a small amount of syrup into the ice water, wait a few seconds, then scoop it out and test it between your teeth. If it's chewy and sticky, the sugar is not ready. If it crunches, it's reached the hard crack stage. It should take about 15-20 minutes to reach this stage.
- Immediately, remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the vanilla, baking soda and 1 cup of the toasted pumpkin seeds. It's normal for the mixture to hiss a little at this point.
- Working quickly, pour the mixture onto the parchment lined baking sheet, and use a spatula to spread it out into a slab. The toffee will start to harden quickly, so you have to move fast.
- Before the toffee fully hardens, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds on top along with a pinch of flaky finishing salt.
Cool and Cut the Toffee
- Set the pan on a cooling rack and let the toffee cool completely
- Peel the parchment paper off the cooled toffee and set the slab on a large cutting board. Use a large chef's knife to cut squares, or just break it into uneven shards.
Notes
Store the toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
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