Introduction: Toffee Tortilla Chips With Candied Jalapenos

About: ♫ Basking in sunshine ☼, creating new dishes... growing zucchini and swimming with fishes. Rattlesnake hunting the desert in Spring; these are are a few of my favorites things. When the wind flies, when the p…

Tortilla Chips aren't just for salsa or guacamole anymore.

This simple recipe turns corn tortilla chips into a fun new dessert by combining the perfection of chocolate with spicy-sweet chili-infused toffee.  A colorful topping of fresh Candied Jalapenos kicks the heat up a notch.  Adding a pinch of Fleur de Sel will make your taste buds swoon.

Toffee Tortilla Chips are easy to prepare... but as I learned; timing is crucial. If you can find an extra pair of hands to help you during "construction" you'll be glad you did. 

Step 1: The Building Blocks:

Ingredients you'll need:

Store-bought Corn Tortilla Chips (cooked)
8 - 12 oz mini Chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons Fleur de Sel or coarse Sea Salt

Candied Jalapenos- See Step 2 for tools, ingredients and preparation

Chili-infused Toffee- See Step 4 for tools, ingredients and preparation.

Step 2: Candied Jalapenos

Tools:

1 cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
1 small saucepan
1 small paring knife
2 small bowls

Ingredients:

4 to 6 Fresh green Jalapenos and red Fresno chiles. If you can't find red Fresno chiles, just stick with jalapenos.
Sugar- 1 cup total
Green food coloring for Jalapenos and Red food coloring for Red Peppers.
Water

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.

In separate bowls, combine 1/4 cup sugar with a few drops of green food coloring and 1/4 cup sugar with a few drops of red food coloring. Stir them up until you're happy with the color of each sugar. Set aside.

Slice the jalapenos in 1/4" rounds. Use a small paring knife to cut away the excess fiber inside. Remove seeds, too. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, combine 1/4 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar. Stir over medium-high heat until the sugar water/syrup boils. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the jalapeno slices. If you're using red and green jalapenos, do them in separate batches but use the same syrup.

Slow boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and 1 by 1, drop the sliced chiles into the coordinated colored sugar. Shake to coat then remove each sugar-coated slice onto the parchment lined baking sheet. 

When all of the slices have been sugar-coated, place the baking sheet in the 200 degree oven for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and leave them uncovered for an hour or until the sugar has dried and is set.

If the humidity is high in your area, you may want to bake them again at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

The candied jalapenos can be made the day before and left to air-dry overnight.

Once dry, use small scissors to cut them in tiny pieces. Set aside.

Step 3: Get Your Prep Station Ready

Tools and food stuff:

2 cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.

Hand select the flattest tortilla chips from the bag and lay them on the lined cookie sheet.
Bowl of mini chocolate chips
Chopped candied jalapenos

You'll be building the Toffee Tortilla Chips right next to your stovetop so make room if you haven't already. 

Step 4: Making the Chili-infused Toffee

Tools:

A candy thermometer, a saucepan, a long wooden spoon and 2 metal spoons.

Ingredients:

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter
1 Tablespoon Light corn syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon Chili Powder (Use your favorite)

Clip the candy thermometer to your sauce pan, then add all of the ingredients above.
Over medium heat, cook and stir until the sugar is melted.  
Turn the heat to high and stir constantly until the thermometer reads 350 degrees. At this temperature you'll begin to smell the chili powder and see a little smoke.

Remove boiling hot toffee to a cool burner.

One at a time, hold each tortilla chip (by a corner) over the saucepan, angled downward.
Carefully spoon the hot toffee syrup over the top of the chip. (Only coat one side, not both sides.)
Shake gently, allowing the excess toffee syrup to drip back into the saucepan. Be careful. The toffee is HOT!
Place each toffee-coated chip on the lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the toffee while it's still  fairly hot. (This the time when an extra pair of hands will be helpful, if you can find them.)  

Give the mini-chips a few minutes to soften, then use the back of a clean spoon to smooth the chocolate over the toffee.
Sprinkle a few bits of candied Jalapeno peppers on top of the chocolate.

Place the Toffee Chips in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to set.

Remove the Toffee Chips from the freezer and pinch a tiny amount of fleur de sel (or sea salt) on top as the final garnish.  If this is done while the chocolate is hot, the salt might melt. 

Step 5: Building the Toffee Tortilla Chips

One at a time, hold each tortilla chip (by a corner) over the saucepan, angled downward.
Carefully spoon the hot toffee syrup over the top of the chip.
Shake gently, allowing the excess toffee syrup to drip back into the saucepan.*
Place each toffee-coated chip on the lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the toffee while it's still fairly hot. (This the time when an extra pair of hands will be helpful, if you can find them.)

Give the mini-chips a few minutes to soften, then use the back of a clean spoon to smooth the chocolate over the toffee.
Sprinkle a few bits of candied Jalapeno peppers on top of the chocolate.

Place the Toffee Chips in the freezer for 10-15 minutes for the chocolate to set.

Remove the Toffee Chips from the freezer and pinch a tiny amount of fleur de sel (or sea salt) on top as the final garnish. If this is done while the chocolate is hot, the salt might melt.

*Be really careful! The toffee is HOT and can burn you!!!

Step 6: Serving Tips!

Toffee Tortilla Chips are like crunchy little candy bars!

You can serve them alone.... or with a bowl of Ice cream... or?

They taste best (crunchiest) when served the same day they're made. They are still yummy the next day and even the day after that.... just not as crunchy.

If you have leftover toffee just put it in a ziplock baggie and use the flat end of your meat hammer  to break it up into small pieces. They taste great by themselves, but can be used in cookie recipes and sprinkled over Ice cream or Cheesecake.

Enjoy!

Chili Pepper Challenge

Finalist in the
Chili Pepper Challenge

Halloween Food Challenge

Participated in the
Halloween Food Challenge