OK, maybe they won’t make you famous, but these toffee shards will turn a pretty cake into a beautiful cake.

I’m working with a lovely woman at work. I really like her approach. She’s very practical and everything she says is well considered. Plus she is a really nice person. She had a birthday recently and so i made her a cake. This cake is made from caramel cake, chocolate cake, vanilla cream in between cake layers, then dressed in vanilla buttercream, dark chocolate ganache and toffee shards.

I was a bit nervous because I’m in recipe testing mode and the cakes weren’t perfected.  Everyone still liked it and it was completely vegan, like all of my baking. Phew!

So toffee is really easy to make, I just ensure that i stay with the stove the entire time and don’t have my children in the vicinity.

Ingredients
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water

Method
Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Add sugar and water to medium saucepan over low heat and stir for about 3 – 5 minutes until sugar is completely disolved.

Bring sugar syrup to the boil. Keep temperature on high and boil without stirring for around 10 – 12 minutes. Regularly brush down the side of the saucepan with a silicon pastry brush dipped in water. Do NOT change the temperature of the stove as the mixture gradually thickens

Mixture will turn golden. Turn off heat and rest mixture until it stops bubbling.

Pour toffee onto tray and slowly tilt tray from side to side to spread toffee into an even layer.

Let tray sit for about 15 minutes until completely cold and hard. Break into long shards and decorate your cake. Yay!