# Honeycomb Candy



## The Z (Jan 22, 2005)

I spent many years in Australia. I'm looking for a good recipe for Honeycomb Candy... I've tried a few that I've found on line and it usually ends up falling a little 'flat'... It looks good when I pour it from the pan, but then ends up reducing in size. The flavor is all right, but I'm really looking for a way to keep it 'airier'. Any thoughts/secrets?


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## Audeo (Jan 23, 2005)

Hmmm..  I'm wondering if your "Honeycomb Candy" is actually old-fashioned Sponge Candy, sometimes referred to as "Angel Food Candy" or "Fairy Candy."  When done, it resembles small pieces of broken sponge with all of its tiny holes.   The holes are formed when baking soda reacts with the vinegar, creating foam.  If this is the stuff, I do know that you do not stir down the foam, or you will lost most if not all of the tiny airholes.  Are you using Golden Syrup?

I'm sure there are a myriad of recipes on the web, all differing slightly from each other.  I'm pretty darned sure I have a nice, old recipe hanging around and will dig it up and post it for you later this morning, along with any notes I may have on the making...


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## marmalady (Jan 23, 2005)

Here's my recipe for sponge candy - I adore it!  

SPONGE CANDY

1 cup sugar		1 T vinegar	1 cup dark corn syrup		1T baking soda

Combine sugar, syrup, and vinegar  in heavy pot.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, til sugar dissolves.  Continue without stirring to 300 degrees (hard crack).  Remove from heat, stir in baking soda.  Pour into buttered 9x9 pan; when cool break into pieces and dip in melted chocolate.


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## Audeo (Jan 23, 2005)

Marmalady, I really think you and I should consider a Candy Maker's Weekend Out and just spend 48 fun-filled hours over copper pots and bowls!!  Your recipe is a little different than mine...two different ways of achieving the same!  Cool!

*Sponge Candy*

1 cup Golden Syrup
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda

Butter a 10-inch square pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper; butter the parchment paper and set the pan aside.

Combine the syrup, sugar and vinegar in a large, heavy pan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.

Clip a calibrated candy thermometer to the inside of the pan.  Cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees (F).  Immediately remove the pan from the heat.

Sift the baking soda over the top of the hot mixture and very gently, very slowly stir.  Be careful because the mixture will foam and rise.

Pour the still foaming syrup immediately into the prepared 10-inch pan.  Do not spread the mixture – just let it settle naturally, or you will deflate the bubbles!

Allow the candy to cool completely.  Remove from the pan and break into bite-sized pieces.  Wrap each piece in waxed paper and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.  Alternatively, dip in tempered chocolate

**I have also made a Maple-based version of this by reducing the Golden Syrup to ½ cup and adding ½ cup of Grade B Amber Maple Syrup with the vinegar.


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## marmalady (Jan 23, 2005)

Is that an invite, Audeo?  I'm there!

The recipe I posted is from Buffalo - my guess is because they don't have 'Golden Syrup' up north, this recipe was developed to suit their ingredients. 

Buffalo has wonderful candy shops, little family run enterprises that have been around for years; and there's a supermarket 'Topps', that sells all kinds of candy in huge bins; it's awesome!


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## Audeo (Jan 23, 2005)

You bet it's an invite!  I'm expecting Mudbug in October, so why don't we just make it a threesome!  (I'll pick you up at DFW...!)

I am vaguely familiar with Buffalo, since I went to several summers of music camp at Eastman in Rochester during my youth and toured the area as much as I could.  And you're right.  There are absolute artists in that neck of the woods.  Of course, they're buried in several feet of snow right now...

Betcha they're making Snow Candy!


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## Ishbel (Jan 24, 2005)

In Scotland we call it Puff Candy - here's the recipe I used to make when my family needed goodies for school cake/sweeties sales!


PUFF CANDY 

4 tablespoons of sugar (granulated) 
2 tablespoons golden syrup 
1 teaspoon Bicarb of soda 

Put the sugar and syrup in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. 

Cook the mixture at a 'rolling' boil for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove from the heat and QUICKLY stir the bicarb of soda into the mixture until it froths! 

Pour the mixture into a well-greased tin and leave to cool. Break into pieces when cold. 

If you want to be really fancy, you could melt some good chocolate and dip the puff candy into the chocolate... 

This doesn't really keep all that well - so either eat on the same day, or store in an airtight container.


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## The Z (Jan 24, 2005)

*Thanks for your input....*

Yes.  I've noticed through Internet searching that Honeycomb does, indeed, go by a number of other names.  Thanks for your recipes.

I thought that, perhaps, if I used Golden Syrup instead of Corn Syrup it might work better... I DID end up getting a decent batch out of it on my last trial.

I find it interesting that some recipes include vinegar to help with the *rising* reaction while others work just fine without it.

It still seems like a touchy procedure.  If the sugar gets too hot it will burn.  If it doesn't get quite hot enough it won't harden.


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## The Z (Jan 24, 2005)

*Oh... another question...*

Hey... I have another question on this stuff.


After the mixture is blended, the sugar has melted and has begun to boil, should I leave it at the same temperature until it reaches Hard Crack or can I bump the heat up a little while it's boiling and just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn?

Just wonderin'.


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## marmalady (Jan 24, 2005)

I would keep it at the same temp simply because once it starts to 'go', it's gonna be fast!

Another tip to making this stuff is don't do it in damp, humid weather - you'll end up with gooey clumps!


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## The Z (Jan 25, 2005)

marmalady said:
			
		

> Another tip to making this stuff is don't do it in damp, humid weather - you'll end up with gooey clumps!



LOL ...  I don't think I have to worry about the humidity.  I live in Vegas.  But... thanks for the OTHER tip   .


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