Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee

This is my absolute favorite holiday candy! It is so addictive, I'll even go to the bottom of my freezer to have a piece. It's not hard to make, and people will be asking you for more (if you decide to share it :))

Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee
adapted from taste of home

1 1/2 c. sliced almonds
200 g. milk chocolate (I get 2 bars of Co-op Fine Swiss Chocolate)
1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cold water

Toast almonds in 350 oven for  5-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally and watching closely till they just start to golden. Can give the nuts a rough chop if you like, I usually just leave them as is. Grind chocolate in a food processor until fine (I grate my chocolate bars, with my cheese grater). Sprinkle 1 c. nuts over the bottom of a well greased (or parchment-lined) jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet). Sprinkle 1 c. of ground chocolate over the nuts and set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine butter, sugar and water, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 280-290 (soft-crack stage), I stop at 280 otherwise I find it hard to pour. Very quickly pour mixture over nuts and chocolate. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and the remaining nuts. Chill and break into pieces.