HONEYCOMB TOFFEE, (aka Sponge
Candy):
- Ari Rapkin
1 lb granulated sugar
1/2 pint water
4 Tbsp vinegar (clear)
3 Tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda, sifted
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 (1 oz. square unsweetened baking chocolate)
-
- Butter or oil an 8" square tin; set aside.
Put sugar, vinegar, syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan (cast
iron if you have it).
- Be careful that your pot is big enough, because sugar has
a tendency to boil over.
- Gently heat the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, until
sugar has dissolved & syrup has melted. Bring to a boil,
cover & boil for 3 minutes, then uncover and boil until temperature
reaches 285-degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat & stir in the baking soda, mixing well
to allow bubbles to subside a little.
- CAUTION: once you add the baking soda
the mixture WILL bubble up quite a bit. Again, make
sure your pot is large enough or it will bubble over the sides.
The baking soda is what gives it its light
airy texture.
-
- Pour into oiled tin & leave until just beginning to set.
- Mark into squares with a lightly oiled knife.
Leave to set completely.
- Cut or break into pieces.
- Combine chocolate chips, shortening & baking chocolate
in 2-quart glass micro-proof bowl.
Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes.
- Using wooden spoon, stir through to melt.
- Dip honeycomb pieces into chocolate, covering completely.
- Let cool on waxed paper.
- Wrap individually in waxed paper, twisting the ends together,
and store in an airtight container.
HERE IS MY SUGGESTION TO MAKE IT
DIFFERENT
(June)
CINDER TOFFEE:
- 1 lb granulated sugar
1/2 pint water
4 Tbsp vinegar (clear)
3 Tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda, sifted
-
- Optional Chocolate Coating:
- 12 oz. chocolate chips
2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 (1 oz. square unsweetened baking chocolate)
- Grease an 8" square tin; set aside.
- Put sugar, vinegar, syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan
or even cast iron.
Important to use a very large pot to prevent boiling over.
- Heat the mixture on medium heat, not high, stirring with
a wooden spoon, until sugar & syrup have melted/blended well.
- Bring to a boil, cover & boil for 3 minutes.
- Uncover and boil until your candy thermometer registers 285
degrees.
- Remove from heat.
- Add the baking soda, stirring well until bubbles subside
a little
NOTE: If your pot is not big enough you
will know it at this baking soda point. You may have your candy
running over the pot. Some mess to clean!
This candy is like a commercial candy
bar that is choc. coated, and sold in the UK, Canada and the US.
You need the baking soda to achieve this light texture.
- Pour into tin & leave until just beginning to set.
- Mark into squares with a buttered knife.
Leave to set completely.
- Cut or break into pieces.
-
- Optional Coating:
- Combine chocolate chips, shortening & baking chocolate
in 2-quart glass bowl.
Microwave / HIGH / 2 minutes.
- Using wooden spoon, stir mixture to melt.
- Dip Cinder Toffee pieces into chocolate, covering completely.
- Let cool on waxed paper.
- Wrap individually in waxed paper.
- Store in an airtight container.
CHERRY WALNUT DIVINITY:
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup Water
1 cup chopped candied cherries
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 Egg whites
- 1 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
-
- Boil sugar, water, syrup and salt to firm ball stage.
- Pour slowly, beating constantly, over stiffly beaten egg
whites.
- Beat until candy begins to stiffen.
- Drop by teaspoon on waxed paper or in well buttered
pan and cut into squares when cool.
COCONUT ICE: sent
by Susan Reddy
- 3lbs loaf sugar
3/4 pint of milk
1lb dessicated coconut
pink colouring
- Dissolve the sugar in the milk, then boil for about 10 mins
or until the temp reaches 238 degrees F (114 C).
Remove the pan from the heat & stir in the coconut.
Pour half the mixture into an oiled pan, add the pink colouring
to the other half in the pan.
- Pour this over the white base.
- Leave to cool & mark into bars when half-set.
DIVINITY: (US Measures) from
an old 1930 cookbook
- 2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Egg Whites
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tatar
- 1/2 cup Water
Combine sugar, water, syrup, salt and cream ot tartar.
- Cover and boil 5 min.
- Uncover.
- Wipes sides of pan with a damp cloth.
- Boil without stiring to firm ball stage (245 -248* F)
- Remove from fire.
- Pour slowly, beating constantly, over stiffly beaten egg
whites.
- Continue beating until misture hold its shape when dropped
from spoon.
- Add flavoring and nuts.
- Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper or pour into well-buttered
pan and cut into squares when cooled.
-
More from
1900 Cookbook
From 'Ann Scott' - Thank you to all who requested more 1900 Cookbook
HOME MADE YORKSHIRE HUMBUGS:
- 1 lb brown sugar.
1 teacupful of water.
Boil together, but do not stir.
- When water has evaporated add a few drops of essence of peppermint
and pour mixture on a slab, using a knife to prevent it running
too thin.
- Cut into strips, and cut with sharp buttered scissors.
If the strips are pulled before being cut they will be a lovely
amber colour.
- These are very good for children.
Mrs. Hanson. Bradford.
Recipes copied verbatim - not responsible for the after effects!
Happy cooking.
STRAWBERRY DIVINITY
FUDGE:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
1 cup strawberry preserves
- 2 Egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
-
- Boil sugar, water and cream of tartar to firm ball stage.
- Add strawberries which have been drained as dry as possible.
- Let come to boil again.
- Pour slowly, beating constantly, over stiffly beaten egg
whites.
- Beat until thick and fluffy.
- Pour into well buttered pan.
When firm cut into squares.
Any thick preserves or candied fruits may be used as substitutes
for strawberries.
TREACLE TOFFEE RECIPE 1:
- 1 lb. brown sugar
1/2 lb. treacle (molasses)
2 oz. butter
2 tablesp. water
1 tablesp. orange juice
Put all ingredients into a saucepan and allow the sugar to dissolve
over a low heat.
- Boil to the "small crack" degree (290 F) and pour
onto a buttered tin.
- Mark into squares when partially set and break when firm.
Wrap in waxed paper and store in an airtight tin.
I would suspect the "tin" referred
to is like an American cookie sheet (with sides). We would pour
the mixture into the tin, let it set, then crack it into pieces
with a small hammer. You have to watch for the pointy bits, though!
From the English version of the Good Housekeeping Cookery Encyclopaedia,
1964
TREACLE TOFFEE RECIPE2: Sent
by Susan Reddy.
- (golden syrup can be substituted for the treacle for a milder,
less bitter taste).
- 1 1/2 lbs brown sugar
8ozs butter
1 lb treacle
1/3 pint of water
A pinch of cream of tarter
-
- Put all ingredients except the cream of tarter into a pan,
cover & bring to the boil rapidly.
- When the toffee boils, add the cream of tarter - dissolved
in a little cold water.
- Replace the lid, continue boiling for a few minutes longer,
remove the lid, wash down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped
in cold water, then boil to 260 degrees F (127 degrees C) or
until a drop of the mixture forms a hard ball in cold water.
- When this stage is reached, turn of the heat.
- Pour into oiled tins, leave to cool, mark with a knife &
break when cool.
Here's the recipe we always
used for
PLOT TOFFEE [Also called BONFIRE TOFFEE]:
- 1lb brown sugar
4 oz butter
4 0z treacle
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon milk
Put everything except vinegar in a saucepan and bring to the
boil,
stirring constantly. Boil gently for 15-20 minutes, still stirring,
until a drop of mixture becomes brittle when dropped into cold
water.
Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Pour into a well-greased
shallow
tin. When nearly set, score deeply with a knife into bite-sized
squares.
From JUNE HANSON in San Diego
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