The History of Toffee Has Six Highlights and Possible Theories

There is no evidence to find the origin of the term toffee, but according to the opinion of some people it comes from the world "tafia."In the creole language, toffee means the combination with sugar or molasses.Other items one might find informational are that English toffee was believed to have orginated as a 19th century confection, there are currently various kinds of toffee and even that the name is supposed to refer to its characterstics.

English toffee is a buttery treat that is often made with almonds. The candy is known internationally for its sweet taste. There are soft chewy variants of Michigan toffee and there are harder versions that may be covered in chocolate and nuts. There are many heated debates about the history of English toffee but there are several theories on its origin. Food historians are able to highlight some major events throughout the food's history.

No one is sure where the term came from or what it really means

Toffee is an old word, it's first recorded entry in the Oxford English dictionary was in 1825. No one knows exactly when or where the word originated, but many seem to think that it was around long before it ever appeared in dictionaries. Additionally,there not much details about  the origins of the term and subject to much debate.

Some believe it comes from the word tafia

According to one theory it came from the word "tafia," which is a West Indian rum concocted from molasses or sugarcane juice. This inexpensive rum is unaged and was usually used  to add flavor to the candies.

Toffee is said to mean a combination of sugar and molasses in the Creole language

One Creole translation of toffee is "a combination of sugar and molasses."The one who said this is Harold McGee, a food writer. Unfortunately, he failed to mention which Creole language he was talking about so we have no idea.

The name itself shows the charateristics is has

The third opinion, states that, the name toffee came from tuffy or toughy, referring to the hardness of the candy treat. Some people trace the word back to a southern British dialect.

The origins of English toffee are rumored to be a confection that was around in the 19th century

In the early 1800s slave labor depressed sugar and treacle prices. As a result, the key ingredients needed to create toffee became widely available to average consumers and in large quantities. By using these ingredients, women in England were able to create an affordable candy. The present-day English toffee is somewhat similar to the treat made in those earlier days. The toffee recipe is made by mixing and boiling cream and sugar and then adding butter into the mixture.

There are now many toffee varieties

Even though it started off as something quite simple, toffee now comes in a variety of interesting flavors. Flavors like almond and vanilla are commonly used but lemon, peppermint and coffee are also quite popular in old-fashioned toffee recipes. A list of confections includes milk chocolate as well as milk, dark, and white chocolate chips. Different chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans and cashews have also become a common additions to toffee. Marshmallows and oatmeal have been used to enhance the recipe’s texture and give it a distinctive taste.

We may continue to argue the beginnings and still remain unsure, this will not however, prevent us enjoying and gifting this tasty candy.