Nov 6
2008

Crazy Good Chocolate Almond Toffee and a Giveaway!

in Product Reviews

When Enstrom Candies contacted me and asked if they could send me a free 1-pound sample of their chocolate almond toffee it took me all of a millisecond to hit the reply button and say “Yes!” . . . I mean, who says no to free chocolate almond toffee?

I was also curious because chocolate almond toffee is one of my holiday favorites and I was interested to see how Enstrom’s would measure up. They had a high standard to meet, as I believe that my mom makes the best chocolate almond toffee in the universe. She used to make it by the ton every Christmas and we would then break it up into pieces and fill pretty cellophane bags with it, tie them up with a bow, and deliver them to friends and neighbors. I’m not sure how many times my brothers and I were caught sneaking a piece for ourselves, but I’m sure it was many. My mom’s chocolate almond toffee did not last long in our house.
So what did I think? The toffee arrived in a simple yet elegant high quality box, so first impressions were good. When I opened the packaging my nose was met with that festive aroma of buttery nutty chocolaty deliciousness. When I broke off a piece and it had a nice snap. So far so good! The real test was when I put the first piece in my mouth. The toffee was perfectly sweet, yet not over the top. The flavor was rich and the texture was nice and smooth, not grainy like some toffee can be. There were plenty of almonds, but not too many, and the chocolate melted nicely on my tongue. All in all, this toffee was just as good as my mom’s, and I was definitely prepared to say otherwise. It was absolutely addictingly delicious. The kind of delicious where you eat a piece and then think, “Oh, just one more little piece” until before you know it you are down to the last crumb and can’t figure out where it all went.

Enstrom’s was started almost 50 years ago by Chet Enstrom and his wife and has been passed down from generation to generation. They still use the same recipe for their toffee that started the business. When I read up on Enstrom’s story, I noticed that they had several recipes that used their toffee as an ingredient. Because I am a foodie in every sense of the word, I was intrigued and proceeded to use every ounce of self-control left in my body to set aside enough toffee to try out their recipe for Almond Toffee Cookies.
The cookies were good, but I felt that they weren’t worth using up any of that incredible toffee. If I made these cookies again, I would just use some store-bought toffee because every morsel of this toffee should be savoured! If you’d like to try making the cookies you can find the recipe (as well as other recipes, such as one for Toffee Pie, mmmmm….) here.

I was so impressed with the toffee that I asked Enstrom’s if they would be willing to let one of you try some too and they kindly agreed. So, if you’d like to win your own 1-pound box of chocolate almond toffee all you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me what your favorite holiday treat is and why. Comments will be open until Thursday, November 13, 2008, 10:00 PM PST. This contest is only open to those with a US address (but I still love my international readers!) as Enstrom’s is not currently shipping samples overseas (but they will fill international orders). The winner will be selected by random draw and will be announced here (and by email) on Friday, November 14, 2008. Good luck!

Comments are now closed for the giveaway! Check back tomorrow to find out who the winner is!

{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }

quitecontrary1977 November 6, 2008 at 4:37 pm

I love their toffee. Viva la Enstroms!

Another fave holiday treat: Homemade fudge!

[email protected]

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Jennifer November 6, 2008 at 4:42 pm

My favorite holiday treat would have to be russian tea cake cookies. I love how they are so flaky and I love powdered sugar!

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micaela6955 November 6, 2008 at 5:16 pm

my grandmother makes Lace Cookies, something we got when we lived in the South. They are so good, light, crispy and so tasty I could eat a plateful!

micaela6955 at msn dot com

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Bob November 6, 2008 at 5:21 pm

Mmmm, toffee. That’s a good time. Why can’t I get companies asking if they can give me free stuff? ;)

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Alisa November 6, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Pumpkin Empanadas, Snowball cookies….Peanut Butter Kiss cookies…Rum cake :)

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Michelle November 6, 2008 at 5:47 pm

I’m from Grand Junction and this has always been a favorite! My grandparents used to give all the kids a box for Christmas and even though my grandmother is no longer with us, and we are all scattered across the continent, my grandfather keeps the tradition going! It always reminds me of home!

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Nate-n-Annie November 6, 2008 at 6:07 pm

Almond roca. I’ve eaten it since I was little and it always reminds me of Christmas somehow.

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Abigail November 6, 2008 at 6:45 pm

I LOVE my grandma’s rum balls and I also really dig my chocolate orange cake that really smells and tastes like Christmas to me.

(I know I live overseas but if I won I’d have it sent to a very special friend in Florida.)

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Semsavblanc November 6, 2008 at 7:05 pm

I’m not in the USA, but I wanted to tell you about my favorite holiday treat. I’m trying to think of something that is uniquely Australian that we all indulge in at particular holiday times (like you do in America and in Japan too), but we don’t really have anything like that. Of course there are crabs in summer and prawns on the barby, but they don’t really tie in with any particular holdiay celebration.
But on Christmas morning my Dad always fries up kidneys (lambs)and bacon and we have them on toast. That is our traditional Christmas morning breakfast!! I haven’t had many people say that sounds fabulous or even tempting, but I love it and it’s tradition in our family.
Sorry, no chocolate almond toffee over here, but I’m going to search the www for a recipe and make it myself. It sounds unreal :-)

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Damaris November 6, 2008 at 9:05 pm

Fudge! I rarely make it. Maybe this year I will have more time. Nah… who am I kidding? I’m going to go buy some

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Bekah November 6, 2008 at 9:39 pm

Mmmm. I love toffee. My favorite holiday treat is Mexican tea cookies. My mom used to make them when I was growing up. I love how they melt in your mouth. And I loved rolling them in confectioner’s sugar. This is getting me excited for the holidays.

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Topher November 6, 2008 at 10:34 pm

bread pudding for christmas

Chris

[email protected]

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Kathryn November 6, 2008 at 11:46 pm

I do love See’s California brittle, so I’d love to see how Enstrom’s compares. My favorite holiday treat is Panettone from our local Italian cafe, Emporio Rulli.

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Tigermama November 7, 2008 at 12:21 am

My mom makes divine divinity. We also love those chocolates from Macy`s called Frangos. We always get a box at Christmas and it doesn`t last long!

Like abigail I live overseas (Beirut via various places in Japan) but we will be visiting my parents in Washington state for Christmas so I`m hoping I can enter the contest using their address!

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The Carroll's November 7, 2008 at 12:57 am

My ALL TIME favorite holiday recipe would HAVE to be the 7 layer cookie! ahh just thinking about them is making me want to go get the ingrediants from the store and make them tonight. My grandma makes me a batch every year and I make it last till about February! Oh it is sooo good!

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smörgåsbroad November 7, 2008 at 4:59 am

Technically not a munchable treat, but I loves me some spiked eggnog, with tons of nutmeg. Mmm. I am going to try to make it myself this year. (To this date I've never had homemade, just store-bought, and I've heard fresh blows commercial out of the water>)

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Pam Striker November 7, 2008 at 7:14 am

Hi Fuji Mama,

I just love your blog…you are SOOO cool!

I really like popcorn balls, especially when I was younger we would all pile in the kitchen to make them. Grandma, mom, sister, and me…of course my dad and brother was there after the fact…when the sampling started…lol! So it was a Big family to do and this is why is was so special to me!

Thanks for the contest and it was fun!

Hugs,

Pam Striker/Ohio

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catie November 7, 2008 at 8:37 am

Peppermint pinwheels are always my very favorite cookie to make and eat during the holidays. As a kid I remember watching my mom roll up the doughs and clice such beautiful circles. The smell and taste puts me in the Christmas spirit!

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Angie November 7, 2008 at 9:02 am

My favorite holiday treat is actually an activity that results in a treat: creating a fabulous gingerbread house.

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Angie November 7, 2008 at 9:03 am

PETE, as an omnivore, says his favorite holiday treat is an enormous turkey dinner with all the trimmings, including traditional pumpkin and/or pecan pie.

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chrisjones November 7, 2008 at 9:08 am

Pumpkin Pie is the best!

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Fairyflames4 November 7, 2008 at 9:29 am

That toffee sounds yumtastic!
Lets see I think my favorite holiday treat would be my mothers Trifle bowl, It has layers of chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and whipped cream with chocolate chips mixed in,she only makes it around christmas..I look forward to it all year.

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tamakikat November 7, 2008 at 9:31 am

Sounds good…lucky you living in the U.S. huh:)

Have to report I got your lovely give-away in the post tonight.

2 beautiful girls will be sporting the homemade clips with pride within the next week or so.

Thank you very much. And enjoy the toffee for me too:)

TK

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Brent November 7, 2008 at 10:07 am

My favorite holiday treat?

Cherry pie. With big whole cherries. Big delicious whole cherries. Big delicious whole red cherries.

Why?
The cherries, of course.

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stacy November 7, 2008 at 10:48 am

my favorite holiday treat would be my step-mother’s chocolate peanut butter balls. Like a little home-made Reese’s cup, but in the shape of a ball and much tastier!

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David November 7, 2008 at 10:54 am

I’m partial to “stollen” – a German variety of fruitcake, though not nearly as sweet and fruity as the American kind. The best stollen has a big chunk of marzipan going down the middle of the bread! YUM!

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Dave DeLong November 7, 2008 at 10:57 am

i absolutely LOVE russian tea cakes. I had a friend who got a bag from his mom for christmas, and I think I ate over half of them.

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Snakebit November 7, 2008 at 12:05 pm

My wife makes modified German chocolate cake for my birthday. It has extra layers of frosting and each layer is thicker than usual. This makes for a very large, heavy, moist cake that is absolutely wonderful. She has made it for me on many of my birthdays.

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Lick My Spoon November 7, 2008 at 1:15 pm

i’m not sure where this tradition started, but nothing says xmas eve in my family like warm pecan pie (topped of course with copious amounts of vanilla ice cream).

xmas is reserved for pigging out on swiss colony chocolate covered toffee…although i bet enstrom’s would give it a run for its money!

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Azriel November 7, 2008 at 1:27 pm

I adore Enstrom’s toffee! MMMMM… I hope I win.

My favorite holiday treat is my mom’s peanut butter-chocolate fudge. I love it because it tastes fabulous, but moreso because it connects me to my amazing mother in a special way.

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Kristen November 7, 2008 at 1:58 pm

If I’m very lucky, my hubby will whip up a batch of his family’s pecan tassies. Pure magic!

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Miranda November 7, 2008 at 2:23 pm

Some good homemade cinnamon rolls make me think of Christmas and home. My mom makes them every Christmas morning. I always add gobbs of frosting.

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Shelly and Ken November 7, 2008 at 5:24 pm

My Grandpa’s chocolates. Whenever I think of the holidays I always think of them, because it is the only time he makes them and I have never had them anywhere else. It is a secret recipe (I still have not gotten it) but I know it has chocolate, caramel, and nuts. It really is good!

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Suju November 7, 2008 at 5:27 pm

I have to admit that the poor man’s chocolate almond toffee has long been a favorite holiday treat. That’s right – Almond Roca. Much of it is nostalgia value. My father is a doctor and he had a patient who used to give us a huge container of AR every Xmas. But I’d much prefer to get a free sample of the good stuff this year!

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jennifer November 7, 2008 at 6:16 pm

I’m partial to sugar cookies, but I am a toffee FREAK…

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LollyChops November 7, 2008 at 9:49 pm

Oh deer…so many comments. So little chance of winning. Sigh. So I love brownies. Plain and simple (with nuts of course). But I have to tell you (and I am NOT lying ok).. This candy is RonChops very most favorite on the entire planet earth (extended into the galaxy). I order him a box every single year AND just this past week I got their catalog. mmmmm chocolate almond toffee. Wait till I tell him we are entered into this giveaway. But sheesh there are already like 4 thousand entrants so I don’t have a snowballs chance. But that’s ok! SPREAD THE LOVE FUJI! SPREAD. THE. LOVE.

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Ellen & Ben November 7, 2008 at 11:47 pm

My favorite holiday treat is frosted sugar cookies. Maybe a little boring, but so simple and fun. And I love any vehicle for good frosting!

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Jess November 8, 2008 at 9:44 am

Favorite treat – snickerdoodles. I always love making a large batch for friends!

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Anonymous November 8, 2008 at 12:37 pm

Another “paid to blog” advertisement on my feed. You completely missed my point. It has nothing to do with where you live or how you fill your days. It has to do with this crap. I’m removing your unwelcome advertisements from my feed today. It’s such a shame, too. You used to be interesting.

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T November 8, 2008 at 1:45 pm

My favorite holiday treat is chocolate bourbon pecan pie. I just love the combination of the flavors, and the creaminess of the filling!

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AMAC1978 November 8, 2008 at 3:39 pm

I think my favorite holiday treat is salty instead of sweet, sausage balls with hot sausage and sharp cheddar cheese. But I do like to make all kinds of goodies to package up and hand out, and it is always fun to see what everyone else is making and sharing too!

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Jackie November 8, 2008 at 5:17 pm

I was never big on cherry cordials until I tried some of my friend’s granny’s homemade kind. Whoa! Still, I haven’t found any holiday treat that I didn’t like.

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mushroommeadows November 8, 2008 at 5:21 pm

I really enjoy the peppermint bark: the white chocolate with candy cane stuff! Oh, and I love caramel popcorn. :)

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Meg November 8, 2008 at 7:34 pm

I buy chocolate toffee every year for my grandma at Christmas! It is the best. I love the choxie chocolate gingerbread truffle!

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mysweetestday November 9, 2008 at 11:07 am

i love love love homemade chex mix because my family and i always make it during the holiday season. it reminds me of them :)

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Joanna November 9, 2008 at 11:16 am

The holy trinity of fudge nougats (with graham crackers, natch), Russian teacakes, and rolled sugar cookies frosted with buttercream! Best part of the season; the baking.

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beakermin November 9, 2008 at 11:47 am

I love to bake, and for the most part I avoid candy because it takes away the best part of dessert: making it. But ever since I was little, the day we got our Christmas tree my dad would put a huge bowl of jelly beans on the table. They were so bright and festive, and just screamed Christams to me.

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Vicki November 9, 2008 at 8:05 pm

My mom’s Italian meringue cookies. Mmm…

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B. Murphy November 10, 2008 at 12:06 am

MMMM…. My fave Holiday indulgence is Moms Divinity. Light, sweet and creamy. Not dried out lumps like some.

Enstroms rocks too :-)

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nakayoshilife November 10, 2008 at 9:19 am

Although i can’t enter because i’m in Australia, it looks very good and i’m just heading over to the website now to order some for myself!!

Thanks for the review :)

Kelly

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