Chocolate Burnt Almond Toffee

Place chocolate in a small saucepan or in a double-boiler top. Set pan over hot, not boiling water. Stir with wooden spoon until melted. Do not allow steam or water to touch chocolate. Set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add sugar, stirring slowly but constantly. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Mixture will no longer feel grainy when rubbed between fingers. BE CAREFFUL NOT TO BURN FINGERS. MIXTURE IS VERY HOT! On my stove, this takes about 20 minutes after the sugar has been added. Add almonds to mixture. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly. Mixture will be very thick. (Don't be alarmed if butter separates during cooking. Just continue stirring.) Cook until mixture registers 300 degrees (hard crack stage) on candy thermometer. At this point, the mixture is amber-colored, starts to liquefy to syrup and begins to smoke. Pour immediately into buttered 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1/2 inch deep cookie sheet set on a wire cooling rack. Spread mixture evenly over pan. Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes, just until top sets. Pour reserved chocolate over toffee. Wait 30 seconds, then spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Roll pecans gently with drinking glass to press pecans into chocolate. Set aside for several hours or overnight until toffee is set. Break toffee into uneven pieces. Toffee can be store in tin in a cool spot for up to 2 months. (It won't be around that long!) Makes about 3 pounds.