AUNT ANGE'S PARESEAN TEA CAKES

1/2 lb. (1 cup) Butter
1/2 cup 4X Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cups Cake Flour (sift 1x, measure and sift again)
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 cups Walnuts Finely Chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (Other recipes say 325 degrees).  

 

Sift flour, measure then sift again with salt.

Cream butter in a bowl, gradually add confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.  Blend vanilla into the creamed butter/sugar mixture. 
Add creamed butter and sugar to flour working well with hands. 

Chill dough 1 hour.  Firm into balls 1-inch in diameter and place 2 1/2 inches apart on a heavy baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased.  Bake 14-17 minutes in 400 degree oven.  Watch the cookies closely after the cookies have been in the oven for a little while as they brown suddenly.  
While cookies are still warm, roll in confectioner's sugar again. 

DIANA'S ENGLISH TOFFEE

Makes 5 lbs.
1/2 lb finely chopped walnuts
1 lb milk chocolate, grated
2 1/2 c sugar
2 c (4 sticks) butter
4 T & 1 tsp. light corn syrup
1/3 lb (about 2/3 c) finely chopped walnuts
1 c water

Spread half of ground nuts in a thin, even layer over the bottom of an un-greased baking sheet. Spread half of the chocolate in an even layer over the nuts. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, chopped nuts, and water in a heavy saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon, until a candy thermometer reads 280 degrees F.

Remove from heat and allow thermometer to reach 285 degrees; then immediately pour the syrup over the nut and chocolate layers. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining grated chocolate evenly over the cooling syrup, then sprinkle on the remaining ground nuts.

Let stand for at least 5 hours; then break into bite-sized pieces. Store in tightly covered containers.