English Toffee

Here is a treat sure to impress and perfect for the holidays! It has very few ingredients and is easy to make! Growing up my mom always made this during Christmas time along with lots of other goodies to hand out to neighbors and friends. It is definitely a favorite!

English Toffee

1 C sugar

2 TBS water

1/2 lbs ( 2 sticks) real butter

2 C chocolate chips

1/2 C chopped nuts

Combine first three ingredients in sauce pan. Stir on high until amber color (dark yellow turning brown). If you don't cook it long enough it will be sugary and grainy. I always cook it a little longer than I think it needs because I start to get a little panicked that it is going to burn and take it off too early so let it keep cooking until it is a really nice amber color!!

Pour onto cookie sheet. Spread smooth. Immediately put chocolate on, let melt and spread evenly on top of the toffee.

Sprinkle nuts on, I usually leave some without nuts because I prefer it that way. Let it set. When cool break into pieces by putting knife in straight up and bringing knife down.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Braid

This bread is SO good. It is a little more time consuming than what I usually make, but it is so worth it!

This recipe is from The Taste of Home Cookbook (It is called Raspberry Coffee Cakes in the cookbook, but I made mine into a braid)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Braid

Bread:

1 TBS Active Dry Yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1/2 cup warm sour cream (110-115 degrees F)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS milk

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in sour cream, butter, sugar, salt and egg. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead 20 times or until smooth. Pace in a

greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth; set aside. Punch dough down . Turn onto a lightly floured surface roll out each side into a 12in x 9 in rectangle. Cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter 3 inches in from the edges on both sides about an inch apart (make 11 cuts on each side). Start with the end and wrap it over the filling, then take the end on the opposite side and fold it over it (kinda hard to explain hopefully the pictures help this make sense!) pinch the ends closed, one of mine usually explodes and leaks out al

l over the pan, but try to seal it up as best you can and hopefully you'll have better luck than me! Place loaves on a greased baking sheet.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm loaves.