On Jan 1, 5:53*am, Jim Elbrecht > wrote:
> On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:01:39 -0800 (PST), John Kuthe
>
> > wrote:
> >On Dec 31, 1:00 pm, "Janet" > wrote:
> >> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >> >> If you want a nice chocolate covering for your toffee, cut or deeply
> >> >> score the toffee into pieces after pouring it out onto a silpat.
>
> >> > Being careful not to press too hard - you might cut the Silpat .
> >> > Don't ask me why I mention it.
>
> >> I use a bench scraper. <G>
>
> >Another benefit of the MARBLE SLAB! Cannot be cut!
>
> Do you warm that thing up- or is it the same temp as your kitchen?
> [which is hot/cold?]

Marble slab is at room temp, 65F or so.


> I made 3 batches of brittles last month & my biggest problem with them
> was spreading them out after cooking. * My house is mid-60's this time
> of year & I've been contemplating grabbing some sort of heat sink for
> the next go-around.

I get my toffee to spread after pouring by tipping the marble slab one
way, then back again to get it to even out from the spreading tip. I
get a few more sq in of toffee that way per batch.


> >I only score the surface though, and I use a broad bladed knife. Then
> >once cooled, it breaks easily along the score lines:
>
> >http://oi52.tinypic.com/2ztkjk4.jpg
>
> >Scraps are in the foreground.
>
> I like that plan-- It just seems like mine sets up too fast to try it.

Mine cools pretty fast on the marble slab. I have to stand there and
guessimate when the best time to start scoring is, and I score by just
pressing the blade into the toffee's surface, picking it up and them
moving it to score the next segment. The thinner edges set up more
quickly than the thicker middle areas, so I have to work fast to get
them scored, and often the thinner cooled edges produce the most
scraps, because they don't break into nicely shaped pieces as well
from the lighter scoring, and sometimes hardly any scoring at all. I
rarely cut all the way through while scoring, and on the still hot
thicker places my score lines will often close back up!

What I need is a full slab sized scoring grid I could just press into
the freshly poured toffee. But that would minimise the yummy scraps
too much! :-) (I'm sure glad I don't make these candies
professionally!)

John Kuthe...