Soft chocolate toffee

Ingredients:

Chocolate toffee

• 1.5 cups corn syrup
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 0.5 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tsp homemade vanilla extract, recipe below (or store-bought vanilla extract)

Homemade vanilla extract

• 3 vanilla pods
• 220-360 grams of bourbon or vodka
• Special equipment: caramel thermometer

Preparation:

1. Spray the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with overlapping pieces of parchment, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the toffee from the pan. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
2. Combine the corn syrup, sugar, whole milk, cocoa powder, and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Attach a thermometer to the side and heat over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and butter are dissolved. Stop stirring and continue cooking the caramel until it reaches 250°F (114°C), 7-10 minutes. Immediately add salt and turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mixture into a prepared 20x20 cm baking pan and tap it on the countertop to distribute it evenly. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until the toffee is firm enough to cut, about 1 hour.
4. Once the toffee has set, remove it from the mold by pulling on the parchment and transfer it to a cutting board. Peel off the parchment. Cut the toffee into 2.5-5 cm pieces and wrap each piece in waxed paper. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
5. Homemade vanilla extract:
   Output: 240-350 ml of extract
   
   Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise, pinching the halves together at one end. Place them in a 300-360 ml bottle and fill with alcohol. Close the bottle and shake vigorously. Leave the vanilla extract at room temperature for 4 weeks, shaking the bottle once a week. The extract can be stored at room temperature in a dark place (such as a cupboard) for up to 6 months.