Amazing sponge toffee is also known as honeycomb. This delicious recipe is also visually appealing. The honeycomb looks just like beehive honeycomb, but probably tastes even sweeter due to the amount of sugar and golden corn syrup.
Chef Anna says to have all your ingredients laid out on the counter before you start. As always, we recommend you watch the video through to the end first to grasp the steps, then do it yourself.
This 4:54-minute video by Oh Yum with Anna Olson walks you through the process from start to finish:
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ (22 ml) Tbsp honey
5 tsp (25 g) baking soda
½ tsp (2 g) cream of tartar
1 cup (250 ml) water
3 ½ cups (700 g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (375 ml) golden corn syrup
DIRECTIONS:
- Grease and line a 9-x-13-inch (23-x-33 cm) pan with parchment paper so the paper comes up higher than the pan sides.
- Measure the honey in one dish and stir the baking soda and cream of tartar together in another dish. Have these ready by the stove, along with a sieve, before you start cooking the sugar.
- In a large* saucepan, place the water in first so it allows the sugar to dissolve evenly, sugar and corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring just once or twice to ensure everything is dissolving evenly. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 284ºF (140ºC) on a candy thermometer. At this point, stir in the honey, and continue boiling until 300ºF (150ºC) is reached. The liquid will only be a pale amber color, not caramelized fully. Remove the pot from the heat and using a wooden spoon quickly sift in the baking soda mixture, stirring quickly and vigorously to make sure it has been incorporated. Once the baking soda is no longer visible, stop stirring so you do not deflate the toffee. Quickly scrape the frothing mass (it will keep growing and growing!) into the prepared pan and let it set (do not spread it) until cool. This can take up to 2 hours, and it will continue to grow a little more before it sets.
Now it is ready. Crack the toffee with a rolling pin to break it into bite-sized pieces. The toffee will keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.
*Keep in mind that you need a large saucepan to factor in room for the sponge toffee to expand.
If you enjoy this sweet treat, please consider going to Anna Olson’s YouTube video page and giving her a like as well as signing up to follow her for more great recipes.