All is Fair In Secret Recipes

Remember back in like September when I accidentally shared a secret family recipe?  Yikes!  Well I have one recipe that I haven't shared with my sister in law, mostly to tease her.  But after I spilled the beans on her Grandma's pie filling I figured it would be best to make it up to her with my Grandma's Almond Rocha recipe.  It is my Grandma Perkins recipe {yep the one I was telling you about on Monday} and I love it.  My mom has been making it as long as I can remember, and of course her mom made it forever.  So I thought it would be a fun treat to take to Boise.  And it worked out perfectly because the sun finally decided to shine today.    

Why does it matter if the sun is shining?  Well here is Grandma's candy making lesson number one.  It has to be a clear, sunny day with LOW humidity.  I know it can be tricky to get the perfect day, but  if you have descent conditions,  go ahead, pull out your ingredients and lets make some candy!.

 

 

3 Tbsp. water

2 sticks of butter

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

 sliced almonds

1 giant chocolate bar

electric skillet

wooden spoon

Grandma's candy making lesson number two.  Use cheap butter and higher quality chocolate.  Cheaper butter {think store brand}  has less cream or something.  I'm not sure why, but it works better.  My mom likes Lucerne.  As for chocolate I used a Symphony bar this time, but we really like it with dark chocolate too.  All right.  Ready to rock?

 
Using one of your sticks of butter grease a metal 9x13 pan.  

 

Grate half of your chocolate bar in to the pan.  I use my grater attachment on my mixer.   Sprinkle with almonds.   Or put the almonds and then the chocolate, either way.  Set your other half of your chocolate bar to the side for now.  DON'T eat it! 

 

  

 Ok, put your butter, sugar and water in an electric skillet.  Turn on HIGH and stir constantly.

Grandma's candy making lesson number three.  Its HOT!  That is why we need to use a wooden spoon.  Your other spoons will melt.  I promise.

It will look like this when it starts boiling,  a pretty yellow color.  Just keep stirring, just keep stirring.   And then here comes the fast and {little bit} tricky part.  When the boiling slows down and the color changes to...

 

 

...this, a tan color, add the vanilla...

and stir for one more minute.  Be careful not to burn it!

 

 

Then pour your toffee mixture in to your 9x13 pan, going back and forth and filling in the gaps until your chocolate is completely covered.   Remember lesson three and BE SO CAREFUL!  It is really hot and you do not want that burn.  It will ruin Christmas. 

Now break up your remaining chocolate and place on the hot toffee.  Let it stand for a few minutes to let the chocolate melt a bit.

 

 

Use a spatula to spread it.  Gingerbread men spatulas work quite well. ;)

Then scatter more almonds on top and let it cool.  Like a long time cool.  I try and make it in the morning so it is ready to break in the evening.  

When it is set, use a knife, stab it to break up your rocha in to pieces and store in an airtight container. 

Grandma's Candy Lesson number four.  Always give it away.  Otherwise you'll eat it.  

Maybe I made that last one up.  :)  But it is always better to give right?!

 

{FAIR WARNING:  Anyone my mom or Grandma ever taught to make this that wasn't a family member hasn't been able to get it right.  So don't blame me if you don't have the magic!}

 

 Let me know how it turns out!  Oh, and lets have a poll!  Whats your stance on secret recipes?