Swedish Christmas Toffee or Knäck as it’s called here in Sweden, with its buttery caramel flavour is partnered perfectly with saffron! Golden in colour, sweet and chewy, and dangerously delicious!
Saffron is one of those incredibly luxurious and versatile spices that I just can’t get enough of. And Christmas is that time of year when it is perfectly acceptable to add saffron to nearly everything!
We have some beautiful Swedish Christmas traditions in our family. Smoking the Christmas ham, writing whimsical rhymes to go with small gifts, and making sweet treats together like this traditional Saffron Toffee! We have one rule, and that is that we have to wait until the first of December to make these ...Easier said than done in our family!
There are very few ingredients in this Christmas toffee and there is just one pot needed which makes for easy cleanup!
Ingredients:
- 170g Muscovado sugar – light muscovado sugar gives a deeper caramel flavour. You can, of course, also use granulated sugar.
- 200ml Syrup – It’s easy to make your own simple syrup but for most of us Christmas is busy enough without adding more to the to-do list. Shop golden syrup does the trick and saves on cleanup!
- 200ml Heavy cream – It works perfectly well to substitute a dairy-free alternative in this recipe!
- 2 tbsp Butter – Vegan butter works fine
- 0.5g Saffron – a little goes a long way!
- We like to use coarse sea salt to sprinkle on top. Shredded coconut is also delicious as are finely chopped pistachios!
You Will Also Need:
- A food thermometer – not essential, but really helpful
- Small candy forms – traditionally, these candies would be served in mini candy casings like the ones below.
It’s also really cute to use a silicon candy form.
You can also skip the casings and pour your mixture into a bread pan or Pyrex dish lined with baking paper.
- It’s also helpful to use a heat-tolerant jug or a pot with a spout for pouring the hot mixture.
Method
1.Add the Sugar, cream and golden syrup and saffron to a pot with a spout, if you have one. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally. The mixture will quickly boil over so keep a watchful eye and remove the pot from the heat or turn down the heat if necessary.
After the ingredients are mixed together it can take what feels like FOREVER for the mixture to reach the right temperature. Avoid the temptation to take it off the heat too soon or you might end up with a delicious ice cream sauce!
2.If using a thermometer, you should aim for between 126°C/258°F and 130°C/266°F. Reaching the higher temperature will yield a firmer toffee.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can simply drop a spoon of the mixture into a cold glass of water. Using your fingers, test to see if you can roll the toffee to a ball shape. If it is too soft simply return the pot to the stove.
This process takes up to half an hour. You don’t need to watch the pot the whole time but beware, burnt sugar smells atrocious!
3. Preheat your jug if using one to pour into the casings. Fill it with hot water and allow it to warm up.
4.When your toffee has reached the correct temperature or consistency, remove the pot from the heat, add the butter and stir gently to combine.
5.Transfer to your heat-safe jug if you dont have a spout on your pot.
– With a steady hand, pour the toffee into the casings, silicon mold (see my tips below for using silicon moles.), or dish.
It might be necessary to return the toffee to the heat if it stiffens before you have finished pouring.
The trickiest part is having a steady hand to pour into the flimsy candy forms. When you separate the forms in preparation for filling them, try to avoid misshaping the form. They topple easier when full and don’t look as pleasing.
I find it helpful to work from left to right (if you are right-handed) to avoid dipping the jug or pot in already-filled casings. This happens every year, and there is always a bunch of kids ready to clean up the mess. Don't forget to remind everyone that it's hot!
6.Add any toppings of choice and allow to cool completely before handling to ensure the toffee keeps its shape.
Using a pyrex dish
-Use a sharp knife or scissors to divide toffee that has been made in a bread form or pyrex dish. I recommend that you store your toffee in the fridge and consume it within a 7 days.
I like to wrap my toffee squares individually in parchment or wax paper and use a permanent pen to mark the type of toffee. There are so many variations to this recipe that you might like to try! You can substitute tech saffron with chocolate, mint, orange, or my husband's favourite, licorice. They make the perfect Christmas gift!
Using a silicon form
-If using a silicon mold, place the mold on a chopping board or oven dish and pour the mixture generously over the mold. Use a spatula to compress the toffee into each mold thoroughly.
Storage
Store refridgerated and consume within 2 weeks.
Swedish Christmas candies make perfect Christmas gifts!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would love it if you would give it 5 stars and let me know in the comments below!
Hi, I’m Holly. Welcome to my site!
I love sharing my knowledge of foraging and simple, back-to-basics cooking so you’ll find some great recipes here, many inspired by my life in Sweden and my Irish roots.
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Saffron Toffee - Traditional Swedish Christmas Candy
Swedish Christmas Toffee or Knäck as it's called here, with its buttery caramel flavour is partnered perfectly with saffron. Golden in colour, sweet and chewy, it's dangerously delicious!
Ingredients
- Light Muscavado Sugar -170g
- Golden syrup - 200ml/ 4/5 Cup
- Whipping Cream - 200ml/ 4/5 Cup
- Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Saffron - 0.5g
- Toppings: Course sea salt, Shredded coconut, finely chopped pistachio nuts
Instructions
Tools: Pot with a spout or heat-safe jug for pouring the hot mixture, a food thermometer, mini candy casing or silicon candy casings, alternatively a pyrex dish or bread form lined with parchment paper.
1. Add the Sugar, cream and golden syrup, and saffron to a pot with a spout, if you have one. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally. The mixture will quickly boil over, so keep a watchful eye and remove the pot from the heat or turn down the heat if necessary.
2. If using a thermometer, you should aim for between 126°C/258°F and 130°C/266°F. Reaching the higher temperature will yield a firmer toffee.
If you don’t have a thermometer; you can drop a spoon of the mixture into a cold glass of water. Using your fingers, test to see if you can roll the toffee to a ball shape. If it is too soft, return the pot to the stove. This process takes up to half an hour.
You don’t need to watch the pot the whole time but beware, burnt sugar smells atrocious!
You can, at this stage, preheat your jug if using one by filling it with hot water.
3. When your toffee has reached the correct temperature or consistency, remove the pot from the heat, add the butter, and stir gently to combine.
4. Transfer to your heat-safe jug. With a steady hand, pour the toffee into the casings, silicon mold (see my tips above for using silicon moles.), or dish. You might find it necessary to return the toffee to the heat if it stiffens before you have finished pouring,
Apply any toppings and allow to cool completely before handling to ensure the toffee keeps its shape.
You can use a sharp knife or scissors to divide toffee that has been made in a bread form or Pyrex dish.
I recommend that you store your toffee in the fridge and consume it within 2 weeks.
You might also enjoy this warming Authentic Masala Concentrate – Chai Syrup!
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