Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe - Gimme Yummy (2024)

February 10, 2019

Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe - Gimme Yummy (1)

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Do you love toffee? Craving for something sweet? Here is an easy hokey pokey honeycomb toffee recipe also referred to as sponge toffee, sponge candy, sea foam or cinder toffee. Believe it or not this crunchy candy only takes about fifteen minutes to prepare and uses only 5 ingredients. Growing up sponge toffee was one of my favorites confectionery treats. Crunchy, light, super sweet and yummy sticky texture is just a few characteristics I can describe. I can still smell the sweet fragrance of freshly prepared sponge toffee at the CNE back in the days.

The ingredients to prepare this light and airy crunchy sponge toffee is water, sugar, corn syrup, baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate) and cream of tartar. First step to is mise en place. It is important to have all your ingredients and cooking tools in place especially when working with caramelizing sugars, which in this case we will be to make the sponge toffee.

A little history about sponge toffee. This confectionery has been been around since 1900’s but became popularized in the mid 1985. Buffalo seems to be the place were sponge candy was found in many confectionery shops. Today this puffed sugar treat is found all around the world and has been named differently by different countries. If you travel to Buffalo in the United States it’s known as sponge candy. In Canada they call it sponge toffee, Britain, Ireland and South Africa named it honeycomb and Scotland simply calls it puffed candy. South America and Asia also gave this unique sweet it’s personalized name.

There are a few variation of this candy recipe typically using granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, baking soda, cream of tartar or vinegar. Below you will be preparing the honeycomb toffee using granulated sugar which will give your a super crunchy texture but your free to substitute it with brown sugar if you want a bit of molasses flavor.

Ingredients

  • 250 grams water ( 1 cup)
  • 800 grams granulated sugar ( 4 cups)
  • 680 grams golden corn syrup ( 2 cups)
  • 30 grams baking soda (5 teaspoons)
  • 2 grams cream of tartar (1/2 teaspoon) or teaspoon of vinegar which you add after the baking soda into the sugar mixture.

Instructions

  1. Line and grease with butter a 12×12 inch baking pan. The parchment paper should be about 2 inches higher then the top of the baking pan.
  2. In a small bowl combine the baking soda and cream of tartar and stir with a fork or whisk. If your using vinegar instead you will add after you’ve added the baking soda into the sugar mixture.
  3. In a large size sauce pan, add the water first followed by the sugar and lastly the corn syrup.
  4. Cook this on high heat without stirring until the mixture temperature reached 300F ( 150c) and remove from heat immediatel
  5. Shift in the baking soda mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula. Do not use a metal spoon as the heat will conduct through the metal spoon and you may get burnt. As soon as you add the baking soda the toffee will start to froth, continue stirring until you can’t see the baking soda anymore. Don’t over stir as it will degas your toffee. Also be extra careful while stirring as the caramelized sugar will be extremely hot and can burn you.
  6. Once your done mixing in the baking soda transfer the toffee into your lined baking pan . The toffee will continue to froth and expand in your baking pan.
  7. Cool down for approximately 2 hours then simply break pieces of your sponge toffee and place into serving bowl or air tight jar. The self life for this toffee is about a month stored in an air tight container.
Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe - Gimme Yummy (3)

Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe - Gimme Yummy (4)

Do you love toffee? Craving for something sweet? Here is an easy hokey pokey honeycomb toffee recipe also referred to as sponge toffee, sponge candy, sea foam or cinder toffee. Believe it or not this crunchy candy only takes about fifteen minutes to prepare and uses only 5 ingredients. Growing up sponge toffee was one of my favorites confectionery treats. Crunchy, light, super sweet and yummy sticky texture is just a few characteristics I can describe. I can still smell the sweet fragrance of freshly prepared sponge toffee at the CNE back in the days.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 5 people

Calories 50 kcal

Ingredients

  • 250 grams water 1 cup
  • 800 grams granulated sugar 4 cups
  • 680 grams golden corn syrup 2 cups
  • 30 grams baking soda 5 teaspoons
  • 2 grams cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon or teaspoon of vinegar which you add after the baking soda into the sugar mixture.

Instructions

  • Line and grease with butter a 12×12 inch baking pan. The parchment paper should be about 2 inches higher then the top of the baking pan.

  • In a small bowl combine the baking soda and cream of tartar and stir with a fork or whisk. If your using vinegar instead you will add after you’ve added the baking soda into the sugar mixture.

  • In a large size sauce pan, add the water first followed by the sugar and lastly the corn syrup.

  • Cook this on high heat without stirring until the mixture temperature reached 300F ( 150c) and remove from heat immediatel

  • Shift in the baking soda mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula. Do not use a metal spoon as the heat will conduct through the metal spoon and you may get burnt. As soon as you add the baking soda the toffee will start to froth, continue stirring until you can’t see the baking soda anymore. Don’t over stir as it will degas your toffee. Also be extra careful while stirring as the caramelized sugar will be extremely hot and can burn you.

  • Once your done mixing in the baking soda transfer the toffee into your lined baking pan . The toffee will continue to froth and expand in your baking pan.

  • Cool down for approximately 2 hours then simply break pieces of your sponge toffee and place into serving bowl or air tight jar. The self life for this toffee is about a month stored in an air tight container.

Keyword angel food candy recipe, candy recipes, cinder toffee, fairy food candy, hokey pokey honeycomb toffee recipe, honeycomb recipe, old fashioned puff recipe, puff candy recipe, seafoam candy recipe, sponge candy, sponge toffee

Author: Gina

Filed Under: Candy Recipes

Tags: cinder toffee, Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe, sponge candy, sponge toffee

Hokey Pokey Honeycomb Toffee Recipe - Gimme Yummy (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between honeycomb and hokey pokey? ›

Honeycomb and Hokey Pokey are the same thing but called different names based on the region or country you are in. Kiwi's (people from New Zealand) call is Hokey Pokey, while Australian's, South African's and some other countries refer to it as Honeycomb.

Why is my honeycomb candy not hardening? ›

If your sugar syrup isn't hot enough, it will make your honeycomb very chewy. The best way to make sure your sugar is at the right temperature is to use a sugar thermometer. The mixture should be at the 'hard ball' stage, which is normally between 121-130 degrees Celsius.

What to do with failed honeycomb candy? ›

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.

Why is my honeycomb chewy 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.

Why is honeycomb toffee called honeycomb? ›

They're all names to describe a candy that's made from combining brown sugar, corn syrup and baking soda. The lattice structure of the candy is caused by the baking soda reacting with the acid, resulting in these little air pockets throughout the candy. These pockets of air make it look like honeycomb!

What do the British call the Hokey Pokey? ›

The Hokey co*key, as it is still known in the United Kingdom, Ireland, some parts of Australia, and the Caribbean, (now known as Hokey Pokey in the U.S and Canada), is a campfire song and participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure.

Why is my homemade honeycomb chewy? ›

Why Is My Homemade Honeycomb Chewy ? The syrup is taken off the heat too soon, it's a common mistake and one I made! Underheating the sugar makes the honeycomb sticky so it won't set correctly. Keep your eye on the sugar thermometer and make sure the temperature reaches at least 146 degrees C or 295 degrees F.

Why is my honeycomb candy chewy? ›

If your homemade honeycomb candy is chewy, it is usually due to the mixture not cooking for long enough or hasn't reached 305°F. A candy thermometer is key for the recipe to ensure your honeycomb gets a crumbly, crunchy texture.

Why is my homemade honeycomb sticky? ›

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. Whole volumes have been written about the science of candy making.

Why does toffee fail? ›

Stirring too quickly or too often can cause the toffee to separate. Moderate the heat as needed – turn it down if the toffee is boiling or cooking too fast so it doesn't burn. Cook until the toffee registers 285-290 degrees on an instant-read or candy thermometer and is deep amber brown in color, about 20-25 minutes.

Why is my honeycomb not setting? ›

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.

What does baking soda do in candy making? ›

The soda reacts with the acid to make bubbles, and the syrup foams. When the cooked syrup is poured out and begins to harden, many of the tiny bubbles are trapped before they can escape (another reason the baking soda is added at the end).

Why is my cinder toffee bitter? ›

Heat too much and these aromas become bitter and the syrup burns. For making cinder toffee I like to be at around 150C as I like a brittle toffee with only a little bit of chew to it. However, if you want a more sticky toffee then heat to a lower temperature.

Is honeycomb supposed to be chewy? ›

The wax combs are typically chewy and will ball up in your mouth similar to gum, some people spit out the comb but most will swallow it whole as it is completely safe to eat.

Why do Americans call it hokey pokey? ›

Building on this popularity, British band-leader Al Tabor — possibly recalling “I Put My Little Hands In” — came up in 1942 with a similar instructional song, adding the term “hokey pokey” after allegedly remembering “hokey pokey” was a term for a serving of ice cream, and recalling a seller who hawked “hokey pokey ...

What is honeycomb called in America? ›

Honeycomb candy is known by many names.

Honeycomb toffee, sponge toffee, cinder toffee and hokey poke are just a few. Often though, it is simply referred to as honeycomb. The exact origin of this light yet rigid candy is disputed almost as much as the various names.

What's the difference between honeycomb and beeswax? ›

Beeswax is the substance from which honeycomb is made. It's the material that composes the walls of the honeycomb, allowing those beautiful little hexagons to form and fill with honey. We know bees are hard workers, and making beeswax is one of their many responsibilities.

How is honeycomb different from honey? ›

Honeycomb is a natural product made by honey bees to store honey and pollen or house their larvae. It consists of a series of hexagonal cells constructed from beeswax which generally contain raw honey. Raw honey differs from commercial honey because it's not pasteurized or filtered.

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