Mock Toffee {12 Days of Christmas Treats}

My favorite part of Christmas is getting to hang out with family and look at old family photos.  It's amazing to see a picture and have no memory what so ever of that event but to know it had to have happened because this picture exists.

This is a Christmas I don't remember.  My Mom and Dad look so young!  I do know it was taken in Germany.  My family was stationed at an airbase called Bittberg for 3 years and it is where my little brother was born.  I don't have very many memories of Germany but I'll occasionally I'll get a whiff of new car smell and recall the new VW Bus I got to ride in.  It had a sink!

I really don't remember sitting on Santa's lap.  Ever.  I do know that Mom probably had me sleep on those pink hair roller things to get that much curl in my hair because my hair was super straight until about middle school when I decided to perm it.

Best Christmas ever!  I even remember the smell of the paints and my Dad just threw away one of the Little Tykes chairs to my play table while cleaning out the basement.  I was sad to see it go.  This is also the year I stopped believing in Santa Claus.  I followed my Dad out to the car and I saw that kitchen play set when he opened the trunk.  He didn't know I was there or that the toy was in the trunk still!  Oops!  My next door neighbor friend got the same kitchen set.  We loved playing house.

I'll share some more Christmas memories in my next post but before you move on I want to share this mock toffee recipe.  It has no special memories attached to it but it is yummy!

This is a lot easier to make than traditional toffee because you don't need a candy thermometer.  I keep meaning to buy one but I really don't have the desire to make candies often.  Unless it's fudge.  I love me some fudge!

This can be made with saltine crackers but I just use graham crackers.  I'm betting the saltine crackers would lend a salted caramel taste though!

The butter and sugar get boiled up good in a little pot.  I just make sure that all the sugar is dissolved.  DO NOT OVERCOOK!  Burned caramel is yucky.

Pour the sugar and butter mixture over your crackers of choice. It really looks unappetizing.

Then stick it in the oven for a little bit.  It will still looks unappetizing.  I promise, it gets better!

As soon as it gets out of the oven sprinkle on some chocolate chips.  The heat of the candy will melt the chips allowing you to spread it out evenly over the crackers.

If you want, sprinkle on some toasted nuts.  I used almonds.

After everything hardens up, store in an airtight container.  It will last a pretty long time but I'm not sure how long because it disappears pretty quickly around here.

Mock Toffee

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

10 Graham Cracker Squares

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Line a cookie sheet with foil, spray with Pam or coat with butter

Place crackers side by side to cover cookie sheet

Combine butter and sugar in a small heavy bottomed pot.  Cook over medium heat until bubbly about 3-4 minutes.

Pour over crackers; bake 7 minutes at 375 F.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow chips to melt and then spread chocolate over crackers with a spatula.  Sprinkle with nuts usuing spatula to press them in.

When cool, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.