Toffee Almond Crunch - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup butter, cut into pieces
2 cups blanched slivered almonds, lightly toasted and finely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

Preparation

Lightly grease 15-1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan.
In heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and syrup is bubbling.
Stir in butter.
Set candy thermometer in place and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 300\u00b0 to 310\u00b0 (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
(Once temperature reaches 220\u00b0 things move quickly, so watch very carefully!) Remove from heat.
Reserving 1/3 cup almonds, stir remaining 1 2/3 cups almonds into hot syrup.
Immediately pour hot mixture into prepared pan; working quickly, with two forks, spread mixture evenly.
Cool candy completely in pan on wire rack.
Meanwhile, in heave 1-quart saucepan, melt unsweetened and semisweet chocolates and shortening over low heat, stirring, until smooth.
Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Lift out candy, in one piece, and place on cutting board.
With narrow metal spatula, spread warm chocolate evenly over candy; sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup almonds, gently pressing them into chocolate.
Let stand until chocolate has set, about 1 hour.
Use sharp knife to help break hardened candy into pieces.
Layer between waxed paper in an airtight container.