"SPECIAL" CHEWY TOFFEE

Steps:

• Have a container of ice water and a greased (buttered) shallow 12" X 24" cookie sheet or baking pan ready. ** Lyle's Golden Syrup is the "secret" ingredient. You might find it in the syrup aisle at your local grocery store, or, if there's a World Market near you, they carry it. Lyle's is probably England's favorite syrup. In a large sauce pan, bring the sugar, syrup, butter, 1 cup of the cream, and the salt to a slow boil. Then, very gradually stir in the other cup of cream, a little at a time. It is important not to interrupt the boiling while adding the rest of the cream. Stir constantly. You will notice the mixture darken during the cooking process. Most recipes call for heating to a temperature of 254o F on a candy thermometer. Or, you can test the level of "chewiness" by putting a small amount of the mixture in the ice water. It will harden to a chewy consistency that varies depending on how long you cook it. I used that method and it took about 40 minutes of cooking time to achieve the consistency I was looking for. When the mixture has reached your preferred hardness, remove the pan from the burner and stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot mixture onto the baking pan and level it evenly. Put it in the refrigerator and let it completely cool. I didn't fuss with cutting it up into individual pieces and wrapping each piece in wax paper. I turned the pan over on the countertop and the toffee came out in one sheet. While it was still cold, I just broke it up in random pieces, put it in a zip-lock back and popped it back into the fridge. Enjoy!