Honeycomb Candy

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan
• •Candy thermometer
• •9x9-inch baking pan
• •Heat-resistant spatula
• •Wire whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your workspace

   Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment with neutral oil or cooking spray. Set the pan next to your stovetop. Candy waits for no one, and you'll have perhaps five seconds between adding baking soda and pouring. Everything must be within arm's reach.

   Measure your baking soda into a small bowl now and keep a fork beside it for stirring. Sifting removes lumps that would create uneven bubbles.
2. 2

   Combine sugar and syrups

   Add the sugar, golden syrup, honey, and water to a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. The pot should seem oversized for this amount of ingredients. It isn't. When the baking soda hits, the mixture will foam up dramatically, tripling or quadrupling in volume. A small pot means a burnt arm and a ruined stovetop.

3. 3

   Dissolve sugar gently

   Set the pan over medium heat and stir gently with a heat-resistant spatula until the sugar dissolves completely, about three to four minutes. The mixture should look clear with no visible crystals when you lift your spatula. Swirl the pan rather than stirring once the sugar has melted. Agitation at this stage invites crystallization.

   If sugar crystals cling to the sides of the pan, brush them down with a wet pastry brush. Rogue crystals can seed unwanted crystallization throughout your candy.
4. 4

   Bring to hard crack stage

   Clip a candy thermometer to the side of your pan. Increase heat to medium-high and let the mixture bubble without stirring. Watch it transform: first pale and frothy, then golden, then the color of dark amber ale. This takes eight to twelve minutes depending on your stove. You're aiming for 300°F. The bubbles will slow and become smaller and more glassy as you approach the target.

5. 5

   Test for doneness

   If you lack a thermometer, drop a small amount into ice water. At the hard crack stage, it will solidify immediately into brittle threads that snap cleanly. The color should remind you of a copper penny. Remove the pan from heat the moment you reach 300°F. Residual heat will push it a few degrees higher.

   The difference between 295°F and 310°F is the difference between chewy and burnt. Candy thermometers cost less than the ingredients you'll waste learning this lesson the hard way.
6. 6

   Add baking soda and pour immediately

   Here comes the magic. Add the sifted baking soda to the hot syrup and whisk vigorously for no more than three seconds. The mixture will foam up violently, turning from amber syrup to a billowing golden cloud. The moment it stops expanding, pour it into your prepared pan. Do not spread it. Do not touch it. Do not shake the pan. Let it find its own level and set undisturbed.

   The reaction happens because baking soda releases carbon dioxide when it meets the acid and heat. Those gas bubbles get trapped as the sugar cools, creating the honeycomb structure. More stirring means fewer bubbles.
7. 7

   Cool completely

   Let the honeycomb cool at room temperature for at least 45 minutes. Resist the temptation to touch it, move it, or refrigerate it. The bubbles are still setting. When fully cooled, the surface will be matte and the candy will release from the parchment cleanly. It should shatter when you tap it.

8. 8

   Break into pieces

   Lift the honeycomb from the pan using the parchment overhang. Place it on a cutting board and use your hands or the back of a heavy spoon to break it into irregular shards. Embrace the chaos. Jagged, organic pieces are part of the charm. You should see thousands of tiny bubbles when you examine a broken edge.

9. 9

   Dip in chocolate (optional)

   Melt the dark chocolate gently in a double boiler or in thirty-second microwave bursts, stirring between each. Dip each piece halfway into the chocolate, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Set on parchment to firm up. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the chocolate is still wet if you want that sweet-salty contrast that makes people ask for seconds.

   Work quickly when dipping. The warmth of the chocolate can begin to dissolve the honeycomb if pieces linger too long in the bowl.

Chef Tips

• •Humidity is the mortal enemy of honeycomb candy. The sugar draws moisture from the air, turning crisp shards into sticky disappointments within hours. Make this on a dry day, or run your kitchen's exhaust fan and dehumidifier if you must work in damp conditions.
• •Golden syrup produces the most authentic flavor and color. British brands like Lyle's are widely available in the international aisle of most supermarkets. Light corn syrup works as a substitute but lacks that distinctive caramel depth.
• •If your honeycomb comes out too dense with small bubbles, your syrup wasn't hot enough when you added the baking soda. If it collapses after foaming, you stirred too much or waited too long to pour. Both versions still taste wonderful.

Advance Preparation

• •Store honeycomb in an airtight container at room temperature, separated by parchment layers, for up to one week. Do not refrigerate, as condensation will make it sticky.
• •Chocolate-dipped pieces keep slightly longer, up to two weeks, as the coating protects against humidity.
• •For gift-giving, package in cellophane bags with silica gel packets to absorb moisture, or present in tins lined with wax paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 35g)