My grandmother made English toffee every year for Xmas when I was growing up. The recipe was not in her recipe box or books. I think it was an old recipe she learned from a relative. It was the kind where she'd put crushed walnuts on a pan, pour the hot toffee over it (I seem to recall it was mostly just butter and sugar), then pour melted chocolate on and spread it thinly over the toffee. It ended up being not TOO crunchy - almost the consistency of Almond Roca toffee but not quite as hard as that. I am having a very hard time figuring out how to explain it, but it's almost like it has a snap when you bite it but then it chews into smaller pieces easily - it's not sticky by any means. I hope someone knows exactly what I'm talking about and will gift me with a recipe that can help me recreate it! I'd love to make the toffee for my family and bring back some happy memories of Grandma's toffee.
Some batches she'd do something just a bit different and it would come out softer (but still not chewy) - that was my favorite - any idea what she might have done? maybe overcooked or undercooked or too much sugar or too much butter? I've experimented with other recipes and could never get the right consistency.
Oh! And it was always best straight from the freezer.
Seriously? One answer? *sigh*

Try playing around with this recipe. Perhaps, instead of getting the "candy" to the hard brittle stage, cook it a bit less to a hard ball stage? Try different candy stages, you might just be able to find that perfect mix of Grandma's touch. Good luck!!

English Toffee
14 tablespoons (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash salt
1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips or thin chocolate bars

Generously butter a cookie sheet.
Put butter, sugar, and water in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove spoon from pan, and cook to a very brittle stage (300 degrees to 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Or, make a cold water test: candy will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat and add nuts to mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool slightly, top with chocolate chips or chocolate bars, and spread as it melts. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.