Pumpkin Spice Toffee

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for greasing
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 +2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp light corn syrup
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 6 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then get a 12 by 17-inch jelly roll pan ready with a silicone baking mat or a light coating of butter. Scatter the chopped pecans across the parchment-covered sheet and toast them in the hot oven for 7 – 8 minutes, just until they take on the faintest color. Put them aside.
2. Place the butter in a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan and melt it over medium heat, giving it an occasional stir with a wooden spoon, about every 2 minutes. When the butter is completely liquid, mix in the water, 1 cup (200g) sugar, salt, and corn syrup.
3. Stir without stopping until the sugar has dissolved. Use a damp pastry brush to wash any crystals from the inside walls of the saucepan, then clip on a candy thermometer, positioning it so it does not rest on the pan bottom.
4. After the sugar is dissolved, let the mixture come to a boil. Around 235°F (113°C), you’ll notice fast bubbling, a little more body, and a slightly deeper shade. Continue cooking, stirring gently once every minute, until the thermometer reads 290°F (143°C).
5. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the pumpkin pie spice along with 1 cup of the pecans. Transfer the toffee to the prepared jelly roll pan with the silicone liner. Use a wooden spoon to work it into a level layer; it will be thick and will not reach the sides of the pan. Cool it for 5 minutes.
6. While the toffee cools, whisk the cinnamon with the remaining 2 Tbsp (25g) sugar in a small bowl. Scatter the white chocolate over the warm toffee and leave it until softened and melted, then spread it out smoothly.
7. Finish the top with the remaining pecans and the cinnamon sugar. Chill for 20 minutes, until the white chocolate is firm.
8. When the topping has set, take the toffee out of the refrigerator and cut it or snap it into pieces. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 minutes.