Aunt M's Infamous Toffee

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 TBSP cold water
a dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Generously coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter.

Combine sugar, butter and water in a lrage heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so it doesn't crystalize.

Clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan.  Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 300 degress F ("hard-crack stage") on the thermometer.

Immediately remove from heat stir in salt and vanilla.

Pour mixture immediately onto prepared pan and spread with a buttered spatula.

Top with chocolate chips over hot mixture.  After a few minutes, chocolate will be soft enough to spread with a buttered spatula or back of a buttered spoon.

Sprinkle crushed pecans over the top of melted chocolate.

Cool completely and break into pieces once hardened.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerator up to 10 days.