Instructions: Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Dissolve sugar in butter, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add water and corn syrup. Cook, without stirring, to 300 degrees on candy thermometer or until a drop of syrup in cold water becomes brittle (15 to 20 minutes). Do not undercook. Remove from heat and pour, at once, onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle chocolate chips over toffee syrup. Let stand 5 minutes to melt; spread over toffee base. Sprinkle pecans over chocolate; press gently. Let cool. Break into pieces.

Makes one pound, 16 servings.

NOTES : Do not make toffee or hard candies on a humid day. The moisture in the air prevents the syrup from attaining the proper concentration before reaching the required temperature, thus preventing the candy from hardening.

Accurate temperatures are essential when making candy. Test your candy thermometer in a saucepan of boiling water. With the bulb in the water (not touching the pan), the thermometer should read 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius.

Store toffee or hard candies in a covered glass jar or tin box at room temperature, preferably in an air-conditioned room.

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