Jump to content

Toffee: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
→Etymology: rewording tafere
 
(442 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses along with butter and flour}}
[[Image:Toffee_Walkers%27_English.jpg|thumb|English Toffee (the chewy sort) in cellophane wrapping ]]
{{about|the sweet|the [[Premier League]] team known as "the Toffees"|Everton F.C.}}
{{Distinguish|Taffy (candy)}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Toffee
| image = Thorntonstoffee.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alternate_name =
| course = Dessert
| type = [[Confectionery]]
| country = [[England]]
| main_ingredient = [[Sugar]] or [[molasses]], [[butter]]
| variations = English toffee, [[honeycomb toffee]]
| calories =
| other =
}}
[[File:Heath-broken.JPG|thumb|A [[Heath bar|Heath]] candy bar, which is English toffee coated in [[Milk Chocolate|milk chocolate]] ]]


'''Toffee''' is a [[confection]] made by boiling [[molasses]] or [[sugar]] along with [[butter]], [[milk]] and occasionally [[flour]]. The mixture is heated until the temperature reaches 150-160°C (302–320°F)—this is known as the [[hard crack]] stage to confectioners. While being prepared, toffee is often mixed with nuts or [[raisins]].
'''Toffee''' is an [[England|English]] [[confectionery|confection]] made by [[caramelization|caramelizing]] [[sugar]] or [[molasses]] (creating [[Inverted sugar syrup|inverted sugar]]) along with [[butter]], and occasionally [[flour]]. The mixture is heated until its temperature reaches the [[hard crack]] stage of {{convert|300|to|310|F|C|order=flip|abbr=on}}. While being prepared, toffee is sometimes mixed with [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]] or [[raisin]]s.


== Variants and applications ==
The process of making toffee involves boiling the ingredients until the mix is stiff enough to be pulled into a shape which holds and has a glossy surface. The resulting mixture will typically be poured into a shallow tray and allowed to cool to form a sweet. Different mixes, processes, and (most importantly) temperatures of toffee making will result in different textures and hardnesses, from soft and often sticky to a hard brittle material.
A popular variant in the [[United States]] is ''English toffee'', which is a very buttery toffee often made with [[almonds]]. It is available in both chewy and hard versions. [[Heath bar]]s are a brand of confection made with an English toffee core. Although named ''English toffee,'' it bears little resemblance to the wide range of confectionery known as toffee currently available in the United Kingdom. However, one can still find this product in the UK under the name "butter crunch".<ref name="Hughes">{{cite book | title=The Foods of England | publisher=Tomato | author=Hughes, Glyn Lloyd | year=2010 | pages=265 | isbn=9780955694837}}</ref>


== Etymology ==
A popular variant in the US is ''English toffee'', which is a very buttery toffee often made with [[almonds]]. It is available in both chewy and hard versions; there is some debate as to which is the traditional English style and which is an Americanized version. A popular presentation of English toffee is covered in [[chocolate]] and almond pieces. [[Heath bar]]s are a type of candy made with an English toffee core.
The origins of the word are unknown. Food writer [[Harold McGee]] claims it to be "from the Creole for a mixture of sugar and molasses", but which [[creole language]] is not specified.<ref name="McGee">{{cite book | title=On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen | publisher=Scribner | author=McGee, Harold | year=2004 | pages=650 | isbn=9780684800011}}</ref> The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' dates the first publication of the word to 1825 and identifies it as a variation of the word ''taffy''<!--This DELIBERATELY does not link to the candy; there is no evidence the British word refers to candy at all.--> (1817), both of which are first recorded as English dialectical{{huh|date=August 2019}}<!-- which dialect? --> words.<ref>"[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50253829 toffee, n. and a.]", ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition 1989</ref><ref>"[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50246098 taffy<sup>1</sup>]", ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition 1989</ref>


The word is similar to the [[Akan language]] word "tafere" which can be translated as "to lick (one's fingers)".
The Toffee spoon was invented by an unknown(david titchen) Australian in 2007.

Another variant is ''cinder toffee'', also called ''honeycomb'' or ''[[sponge toffee]]'', which is an [[aeration|aerated]] version with bubbles introduced by adding [[sodium bicarbonate|baking soda]] and [[vinegar]] while mixing. The [[Common experiments#Baking Soda/Vinegar|baking soda and vinegar]] react to form [[carbon dioxide]], which is trapped in the highly [[viscous]] mixture. In [[New Zealand]] this is called ''[[hokey pokey]]''.

A particular application of toffee is in [[toffee apple]]s, which are [[apple]]s on sticks which are coated with toffee. Toffee apples are similar to taffy apples and [[caramel apple]]s (both names for apples which are covered in [[caramel]]).

The origins of the word are unknown; The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' dates the first publication of the word to 1825, although it is almost certain that the sweet dates back further than that. (McGee, 1984 p. 410) claims it to be ''"from the [[Louisiana Creole French|Creole]] for a mixture of sugar and molasses"'' and that it entered the language early in the [[19th century]].

== Related idiom ==
Toffee gives rise to a derisive idiom in British English; it can be said of an incompetent person that they "cannot do (whatever it is they cannot do) for toffee". In another slang phrase, to be "toffee-nosed" is to be condescending or aloof.

'Toffee tooth' is a dental complaint, usually affecting one or more of the front teeth. This unsightly stain can be removed using a hydrogen peroxide based solution.

The Premiership team [[Everton FC]] is nicknamed "The Toffees".

⚫
== References ==

<div class="references-small">
* {{cite book|author=McGee, Harold|title=On Food and Cooking|publisher=Scribner|year=1984|id=ISBN 0-684-84328-5}}
</div>
⚫
{{reflist}}


== See also ==
== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{wikibookspar|Cookbook|Molasses Toffee}}
* [[Taffy (candy)]]

* [[Almond roca]]
* [[Toffee hammer]]
* [[Toffo (toffee)|Toffo]]
* [[Tablet (confectionery)]]
* [[Tameletjie]]
* [[Almond Roca]]
* [[Babelutte]]
* [[Bonfire toffee]]
* [[Bonfire toffee]]
* [[Peanut brittle]]
* [[Butterscotch]]
* [[Butterscotch]]
* [[Caramel]]
* [[Caramel]]
* [[Caramel#Candy|Caramel candy]]
* [[Coconut toffee]]
* [[Dulce de leche]]
* [[Fudge]]
* [[Fudge]]
* [[Heath Bar]]
* [[Knäck]]
* [[Skor bar]]
* [[Krówki]]
* [[Taffy (candy)|Taffy]]
* [[Moffat toffee]]
* [[Dodol]]
* [[Peanut brittle]]
* [[Russian candy]]
* [[Sticky toffee pudding]]
{{div col end}}
{{wiktionary}}
{{commonscat}}


⚫
== References ==
⚫
{{reflist}}


{{Traditional British sweets}}
[[Category:Confectionery]]
{{Sugar}}


[[es:Toffee]]
[[Category:Toffee| ]]
[[fi:Toffee]]
[[Category:Candy]]
[[he:טופי]]
[[it:Toffee]]
[[sv:Kola]]

Latest revision as of 20:32, 21 December 2024

This article is about the sweet. For the Premier League team known as "the Toffees", see Everton F.C.
Not to be confused with Taffy (candy).
Toffee
TypeConfectionery
CourseDessert
Place of originEngland
Main ingredientsSugar or molasses, butter
VariationsEnglish toffee, honeycomb toffee
A Heath candy bar, which is English toffee coated in milk chocolate

Toffee is an English confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses (creating inverted sugar) along with butter, and occasionally flour. The mixture is heated until its temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 149 to 154 °C (300 to 310 °F). While being prepared, toffee is sometimes mixed with nuts or raisins.

Variants and applications

[edit]

A popular variant in the United States is English toffee, which is a very buttery toffee often made with almonds. It is available in both chewy and hard versions. Heath bars are a brand of confection made with an English toffee core. Although named English toffee, it bears little resemblance to the wide range of confectionery known as toffee currently available in the United Kingdom. However, one can still find this product in the UK under the name "butter crunch".[1]

Etymology

[edit]

The origins of the word are unknown. Food writer Harold McGee claims it to be "from the Creole for a mixture of sugar and molasses", but which creole language is not specified.[2] The Oxford English Dictionary dates the first publication of the word to 1825 and identifies it as a variation of the word taffy (1817), both of which are first recorded as English dialectical[clarification needed] words.[3][4]

The word is similar to the Akan language word "tafere" which can be translated as "to lick (one's fingers)".

See also

[edit]
Look up toffee in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toffee.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Hughes, Glyn Lloyd (2010). The Foods of England. Tomato. p. 265. ISBN 9780955694837.
  2. ^ McGee, Harold (2004). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Scribner. p. 650. ISBN 9780684800011.
  3. ^ "toffee, n. and a.", Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition 1989
  4. ^ "taffy1", Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition 1989
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Toffee&oldid=1264385455"