Learning how to melt toffee is very important, especially if you are making a recipe that requires you to use toffee that is in its liquid form. In this article I highlight some of the best methods for melting toffee which you should definitely try out. Carefully follow the steps in order to get the best results.
Contents
What is toffee?
Toffee is a confection that is made by caramelizing sugar and mixing it with butter. The sugar and butter are heated until they reach a temperature which is between 300F and 310F. Toffee is often confused with caramel but these 2 are actually different. The difference is that caramel is softer than toffee and it has added ingredients of milk, water and cream. During the production phase toffee can be mixed with nuts or raisins so that at its final stage it can have more flavour. This is optional, some people just make the recipe without adding nuts or raisins.
How to melt toffee in the microwave
NB: this is the fastest and easiest method for melting toffee. However, you need to keep a close eye on the toffee or else it will burn.
Step 1
When melting toffee in the microwave you need to start by unwrapping the toffee from its foil or plastic wrap. Place the unwrapped toffee’s in a Ziploc bag then use a rolling pin or hammer to crush them. Doing this helps to speed up the melting process of the toffee once placed in the microwave.
Step 2
Remove the smashed toffee from the Ziploc bag and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and shut the door. Adjust the microwave power to 50% power. This will help the toffee to melt evenly without burning. Set the timer to 15 seconds and them let the toffee melt. After 15 minutes take the bowl out and gently stir. If the toffee has not yet melted, place it back for another 15 minutes. Repeat the process until most of the toffee pieces have melted.
Step 3
When most of the toffee pieces have melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and place it on your countertop. Gently stir the toffee until all the toffee pieces have completely melted. The residual heat from the melted toffee and the glass bowl is the one that helps to further melt down those small pieces of toffee.
Step 4
Once all the toffee has melted, use it as soon as possible or else it will start to harden.
How to melt toffee using a double boiler
NB: this is also another good method for melting toffee. This is mainly because you can manually control the temperature of the stove to ensure that the toffee does not burn.
Step 1
In order to melt toffee using a double boiler you need to start by unwrapping the toffee and placing it in a Ziploc bag. Take a rolling pin or hammer then use it to smash the toffee into small pieces. This will help the toffee to melt faster.
Step 2
Remove the crushed toffee from the Ziploc bag and place in the top pot of the double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler you can always improvise by making your own. In order to do that you need a pot and a glass bowl. Make sure that the glass bowl you use sits perfectly on top of the pot.
Step 3
Take the bottom pot of the double boiler and place a little bit of water inside it. Place the pot on a stove that is turned on between medium and low heat. When the water starts to simmer place the glass bowl on top of the pot. Gently stir the toffee using a spatula or wooden spoon until it starts to melt. This method uses steam from the water to melt the toffee. That is why it is important to use a bowl that sits perfectly on top of the pot or else all the steam will escape. This will then make it harder for the toffee to melt.
Step 4
When most of the toffee has melted and only a few bits have not melted, remove the bowl and place it on your countertop. Gently stir the toffee, the residual heat from the toffee and the glass bowl will help to further melt down those small pieces of toffee.
Step 5
When the melted toffee is ready you can then use it in whichever recipe that requires you to use melted toffee.
NB: although the stove is a good method to use, it has the potential of exposing the toffee to water. This can then affect the texture of the toffee.
How to use melted toffee
Melted toffee can be used in a variety of ways. However, it is important to note that when melted toffee is exposed to room temperature for a long period of time it starts to harden. Therefore it is essential to use melted toffee while it is still warm.
Use melted toffee to make toffee pots
You can use your melted toffee to make toffee pots. In order to make the toffee pots you will need other ingredients like milk and cream. To make the recipe simply place the melted toffee in a pan then add milk and stir. The mixture will curdle a little but, that does not matter. Pour the mixture into individual cups and let it set in the fridge for a few hours before adding the cream. Once you add the cream you can serve and enjoy these delicious toffee pots.
Use melted toffee on baked goods
The other exciting way of using melted toffee is to drizzle it on top of baked goods. It will help to add a lot of flavour to the baked goods. You can drizzle it on top of things like muffins and cakes.
Conclusion
Toffee is an exciting ingredient to use in the kitchen and melting it is an easy task. However, always use a method that is convenient for you since all the methods have their own advantages and disadvantages.
