Honeycomb Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Why is my honeycomb chewy but not crunchy? ›

Chewy honeycomb happens when the mixture hasn't been cooked for long enough. This is most common when you don't use a sugar thermometer. If you don't heat the mixture to 149°C the sugar won't achieve the brittleness required for that crumbly, crunchy texture.

Bicarbonate of soda is what gives your honeycomb its bubbly structure, you will not get the same effect using baking powder. Honeycomb can be tricky to get right. But with our recipes and these handy dos and don'ts, you will be able to make delicious honeycomb like a true master baker!

White vinegar – one of the things that makes this candy unique is the light and airy texture of the toffee. We have the vinegar, in part, to thank for that! Vinegar reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to form little bubbles of carbon dioxide that give the honeycomb candy its airy, crisp texture.

Instead, if it is enjoyable as is, I would suggest just eating it as a toffee like candy. Otherwise, chalk it up to experience and watch the temperature more closely next time. I have a batch of gooey toffee now too. So im just either enjoying it as is or adding bit or chunks of it to my coffee or ice cream.

The honeycomb con j ecture is the two-dimensional version of the three-dimensional Kelvin problem. The Kelvin problem asks for the surface minimi z ing partition of space into cells of equal volume.

Choose the best honeycomb

It's all good unless the melted sugar is cooked for too long, when it will burn and the bitterness detracts from the acid-sweet pleasures expected. If you undercook it, it will not set properly.

Honeycomb is essentially hot toffee blended with a little bicarbonate of soda to make it bubble and foam. The mistake most first timers make is to take the syrup off the heat too soon. This makes the honeycomb sticky and doesn't allow it to set correctly.

At the last second, baking soda is added and reacts to the high heat in the pan, causing the mixture to foam and swell as carbon dioxide bubbles are released. These fizzing bubbles are caught in the final product as it quickly cools - leading to the effect for which the dessert is named for, a honeycomb of sorts.

Honey and its comb are edible and offer numerous health benefits, such as fighting infections and improving heart health. Honeycomb may also boost liver function and serve as a sugar alternative for people with diabetes. That said, honeycomb remains rich in sugars, so should be consumed with moderation.

Regionally it may be referred to as sponge candy, sea foam, fairy food candy, or old fashioned puff in the US, and in Britain, it is often called Cinder Toffee with variances of puff candy in Scotland, Yellowman in Northern Ireland and Sponge Toffee in Canada.

Is cinder toffee the same as honeycomb? ›

One of the simplest and most fun confectioneries to make at home is cinder toffee, also known as honeycomb or sponge toffee.

Its name “cinder toffee” is thought to come from its appearance, which resembles the cinders and coal used in traditional British fireplaces. The treat's texture and taste, reminiscent of caramelised sugar, made it a favourite among people of all ages.

Honey and honeycomb do not expire. Ever. Unless the honeycomb is stored improperly or moisture is introduced to the container. Store honeycomb at room temperature in a sealed container or jar and your honeycomb will keep as long as it takes you to eat it (not long for a bee charmer).

Nigella's Hokey Pokey, or honeycomb candy, (from Nigella Express) is made from sugar, syrup and bicarbonate of soda and so theoretically should not turn bad for some time. The main problem is that it will soften over time, so the conditions of storage will be the main factor in how long the Hokey Pokey lasts.

Temperature – allow the sugar syrup to reach the required temperature of 149°C known as hard crack. Taking the syrup off the heat too soon is a common mistake, causing the honeycomb to be sticky.

A beehive comprises honeycombs, hexagonal structures that bees use to create honey. Honeycomb is edible and offers a sweet and chewy experience.

It is perfectly safe (and delicious) to consume both the honey and the waxy hexagonal containers of the comb. In fact, the added chewy texture of the comb is a bonus. Honeycomb varies in taste (just like honey) depending on the environment and which flowers the bees predominantly pollinated to produce nectar.

Low and slow

Simmering the syrup for English toffee to the requisite 300°F temperature can (and should) be a slow process — up to 20 minutes or so. Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture.

Honeycomb is a crunchy, airy candy with a sweet honey flavor. Note: Total time required is 1 hour and 15 minutes. Yields one 8x8 pan.