For the past twenty years, I’ve been making this almond toffee.
I don’t particularly enjoy making it, but because it’s pretty much the best thing I make, people request it around the holidays. With the exception of my dad, who likes the toffee in a plain, unlabeled tin so he can hide it from my step brother, most people don’t care how it’s packaged. But I take pride in my toffee and want it to look nice. Martha Stewart to the rescue.
Earlier in the year I pointed out her new line of Cookies and Treats packages which are cute and kind of fun for packaging items baked throughout the year. But it’s November, and now Martha’s treat bags and boxes are a necessity.
Along with boxes and bags, the Martha Stewart line includes all sorts of ribbons, stickers, hole punches, cards, and fancy papers to dress up your packaging. It might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but once you start playing with a few things, you’ll see how easy it is and be happy you have so many thing from which to choose.
The boxes I used today practically built themselves by coming together in a few folds. This is not a beautiful picture, but it gives you an idea of what they look like in various states.
Here’s the final product. This is the rudimentary 2-minute box and label. With a little more time, you can embellish to your heart’s content…..and I plan to. But right now I smell like brown butter and sugar and want the fastest form of cute packaging possible.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks just like the toffee that my mom used to make and now I make. Only no almonds… sometimes finely chopped pecans on the top, but nothing in the toffee. And I like it nice and thin — can’t stand it when I see big pieces of toffee so thick it doesn’t look like you could possible bite through it.
Cute boxes too!
what gorgeous packaging! they definitely sound simple enough to put together, which is ALWAYS a plus :0)
Steph, I have to confess. Sometimes this toffee does come out thick. However, even when I pour it thick, the toffee isn’t a sticky type candy so the thickness isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I wonder what recipe your mom uses.
VG, this packaging is SO easy. I was actually kind of tired and not in the mood for crafting when I opened the packages and began assembling boxes, but these boxes just came together so easily and quickly.
I saw these Martha Stewart food packaging products at the craft store I frequent and although they are very cute, they are a little pricey I think. With the holidays coming up I may have to splurge though!
Love her new crafts line … so much inspiration!
Anna,
I remembered reading on your blog a while back about Aqua Dots and saw this morning on Fox News about the safety recall on them because when ingested they turn into the date rape drug and can cause severe reactions. You can check it out on http://www.foxnews.com
Last year my husband and I started making candy for everyone on the gift list at Christmas time. We did baked popcorn last year… 24 qt of popcorn later…
I think we might tackle this recipe this year. Thank you! If our first batch doesn’t scare us off, how early could we start churning these out and still have them be optimal for gift giving? What would you recommend for storage before gifting? I won’t lie, this will be our first serious candy escapade, but that will be what makes it fun, right?
Katie, the products might seem pricey, but in my opinion, they are not. For instance, a box of 6 boxes costs about $12.99 so you are paying a little over $2 a box. If you’ve priced some of the other packaging items out there, you’ll know that $2 a box isn’t bad. The cheap tins are cute and you can sometimes find them for 99 cents, but I think the Martha items are a bit more handsome than tins. But that’s subjective
.
Cate, I agree. Inspiring!
Koryshar, thanks for the note. Too bad about all these toys
.
ErikaJo, I’d start the toffee a few days prior. If you are making a ton, you can freeze it. It freezes VERY well.
My chili pot didn’t make it out to California, so I guess I’ll have to pick up a dutch oven sometime in the next couple weeks.
Darn.
I can’t wait to make this toffee. I love, love, love it and does make a perfect gift. Of course, in 4.6 weeks I’ll feel nauseous whenever I smell browned butter the caramelizing sugar.
I bought a set of these boxes with the intention of putting together “fall treats” for friends and family…looks like now they’ll have to be holiday treats. They are very cute and since I am not crafty whatsoever, they’re perfect for me! I hope everyone appreciates your cute packages.
My mother is OBSESSED with these boxes. We have two of the whole packaging kits right now, and even though it’s not the holiday season, it seems like we are always using them. They hold up pretty well and they look adorable.
do you buy these boxes or make them???
where do you buy them/how do you make em? :/
Hi Sue,
It appears that since I wrote that post they have added new designs. Your best bet is to go to this website and in the search box, put “treat boxes”.
http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/marthastewartcrafts/