Best Ever Honeycomb
Best Ever Honeycomb AKA Cinder Toffee, Hokey Pokey, Sponge Candy & Crunchie. A foolproof recipe with step by step instructions to help you make the crunchiest homemade honeycomb.
Halloween and Bonfire Night are fast approaching so I thought I’d share my Kitchen Shed Tips to help you make the best and crunchiest honeycomb … although getting here wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped.
This foolproof recipe for Best Ever Honeycomb was developed during my attempts to make wedding favours for a family wedding. Four hundred pieces of chocolate covered crunchy honeycomb were required.
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Naively I thought it was simply a matter of a quick practice run and all would be good to go – how wrong I was !
It’s fair to say I had a few confectionery crises as initial attempts were too sticky and then too hard and I imagined queues of wedding guests outside the dentist’s surgery.
The feedback on the wedding day made all the last minute honeycomb panic worthwhile. Enjoyed by kids and adults alike, Best Ever Honeycomb was a real winner.
It was lovely to hear guests reminiscing and sharing their childhood memories of Woolworth’s chocolate honeycomb. Honeycomb turned out to be my Dad’s favourite childhood sweet.
Homemade Honeycomb FAQs
If you’re making honeycomb for the first time or you have any questions, please take a read through my FAQs for extra tips and handy information.
What Is Honeycomb ?
Honeycomb, also referred to as cinder toffee, Hokey Pokey, Sponge Candy and Sea Foam is a light, airy sweet made from a sugar syrup and bicarbonate of soda / baking soda. The honeycomb structure is caused by the bicarbonate of soda reacting with the hot sugar syrup and creating pockets of air.
It has a delicious sweet, toffee flavour and is often covered with chocolate.
What Do I Need To Make Honeycomb ?
The most important thing when making honeycomb is to have everything ready before you start.
Equipment
A clean, medium sized heavy based saucepan. You need plenty of room for the toffee to expand when you add the bicarbonate of soda.
A sugar or jam thermometer is essential although I now like to use a Thermapen as you get a quick and accurate digital reading. If you want your honeycomb to be perfect and not soft, not teeth breakingly hard or bitter, you really do need to use an accurate thermometer.
A cup of water and a pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals forming in your pan.
A shallow baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Ingredients
Sugar – Cane sugar is easier to work with and the addition of golden syrup helps to prevent crystals forming.
I like to use Tate & Lyle caster sugar, readily available here in the UK, as it’s a fine pure cane sugar which dissolves quickly.
Golden syrup – golden syrup is an inverted sugar syrup which helps prevent crystallisation. I use Lyle’s Golden Syrup, which although it is a UK product, can now be ordered via Amazon in the US and most of the other Amazon stores.
Glucose syrup can also be used as it has a similar effect but doesn’t give the same caramel like flavour as golden syrup.
How To Make Best Ever Honeycomb
Best Ever Honeycomb takes about 10 minutes to make.
Preparation is key so make sure you have your ingredients and equipment ready. Check the recipe card first.
Sugar crystals are your enemy, follow these steps and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Add the ingredients to a medium sized heavy based saucepan and attach the sugar thermometer to the side of the pan. Place on a low heat and stir gently until the sugar has dissolved.
To test if the sugar is completely dissolved scoop out a small amount of the syrup with a spoon. You should not be able to see any sugars crystals in the liquid.
Now you can turn up the heat to medium AND DO NOT STIR or your syrup will crystallise. I find it useful to have a cup of water and pastry brush so I can brush the sides of my pan to prevent sugar crystals forming.
I like to heat the syrup to around 150C as I prefer a brittle toffee and a caramel flavour. If you stop at a lower temperature your honeycomb will be softer.
BE CAREFUL when you take the pan off the heat, the pan and contents will be very hot.
Now it’s time for the magic – add the bicarbonate of soda and gently whisk until the bicarb has disappeared.
It’s important to cool the honeycomb mixture down as quickly as you can – this helps prevent those rogue sugar crystals forming – so pouring into a shallow baking tray lined with baking paper does the job nicely.
Once it has set – it’s time for the best bit, breaking and eating!
Or store in an airtight container.
AND LASTLY…
For an easy clean – immediately fill your empty pan with hot soapy water and leave for a few minutes before washing.
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.
This is known as the hard crack stage which is 146 to 155 degrees C or 295 to 310 degrees F.
Why Does My Honeycomb Taste Burnt ?
TOO much heat ! Another common mistake and you guessed it – I made it too !
The syrup becomes burnt and bitter, you can see it starting to smoke.
DON’T leave your pan unattended and keep an eye on the temperature.
Remove from the heat as soon as it reaches temperature and add the bicarbonate of soda.
How Do I Store Homemade Honeycomb ?
In an airtight container or it will go soft. A glass container works best.
DO NOT STORE HONEYCOMB IN THE FRIDGE otherwise it will go soft.
How Long Does Homemade Honeycomb Last ?
Stored correctly in an airtight container in a cool dry place honeycomb will last for up to three months or longer.
I’ve stored ours in Le Parfait jars and our honeycomb was still crisp after six months.
What To Do With Honeycomb
Cover with chocolate, who can resist homemade Crunchie?
Honeycomb is delicious in ice cream, crumbled on the top of chocolate cakes, cheesecakes or cupcakes.
How do you use yours?
Best Ever Honeycomb
Equipment
- A clean medium sized heavy based saucepan
- A sugar or jam thermometer
- A pastry brush
- A cup of water
- A whisk
- A shallow baking tray lined with baking parchment
Ingredients
- 175 g Caster Sugar Cane sugar if available
- 4 tbsp Golden Syrup
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda
Instructions
- Add the sugar and golden syrup to the pan and attach the thermometer to the side of the pan.
- Place on a low heat and stir gently until dissolved, try not to let the mixture bubble until completely dissolved.Do not stir once the sugar has dissolved or it will crystallise.
- Once completely melted, turn up the heat to medium and heat until the temperature reaches 150 Degrees C, it will be a lovely golden colour.
- As quickly as you can take the pan off the heat and remove the thermometer. Be careful you don't want to burn yourself with hot caramel.
- Tip in the bicarbonate of soda and gently whisk in until it has all disappeared and the mixture is foaming, taking care not to overdo it.
- Pour out gently into the lined tin, pouring as near to the bottom of the lined tin as you can so you don't lose those lovely bubbles.Carefully scrape out the last of the mixture with a silicone spatula.
- Leave to cool before cracking into chunks. Optional: Cover with chocolate.
- Store in an airtight container, glass works best.
Video
Notes
- If you’re making honeycomb for the first time then I recommend reading the main blog post for extra tips and answers to FAQs.
- Recipe can easily be doubled.
- Use Cane Sugar if you can, it’s easier to work with.
PIN FOR LATER
I’m entering Best Ever Honeycomb into a few food challenges this month:
- Credit Crunch Munch created by Camilla from Fab Food 4 All & Helen over at Fuss Free Flavours & hosted this month by Camilla.
- The Teatime Treats Challenge  hosted by Karen over at Lavender & Lovage and Janie at The Hedgecombers, hosted this month by Karen.
- Treat Petite hosted by Stuart over at Cakeyboi and Kat at The Baking Explorer, hosted this month by Cakeyboi.
And linking to: Fiesta Fridays
These look absolutely perfect!!
And I just have to be honest now… I had NO IDEA honeycomb wasn’t anything to do with real honeycomb!!! I love honeycomb; can’t believe I can now make it.
You, lady, are a generous beyond measure. What an absolutely beautiful offer to make these for someone else’s wedding favors. Such a beautiful present, and yes, now hundreds of people with treasured ‘crunchy’ memories.
I love your discovery about your dad <3
Thank you so much for linking to #CookBlogShare… I will be making these very soon!
/Steph
It’s funny how we have different names for honeycomb, I wasn’t sure what name to post it under, I almost went with cinder toffee. Thanks so much for your kind comment Steph, making the honeycomb as a gift enabled us to give the wedding couple something more valuable than if we had gone out and bought a present. My dad is chuffed to bits I’ve mentioned the crunchy story on my blog. Looking forward to hearing how you get on xx
This looks absolutely HEAVENLY!!!!! It would make a gorgeous Christmas present too. Definitely adding this to my treat list x
Thanks Emily, a great idea, I’m sure your family & friends will enjoy homemade chocolate honeycomb at Christmas x
Wow – what a wonderful idea! This cake looks amazing, but your beautifully wrapped favours are even more impressive! Thanks for sharing this with us 🙂
Thank you, a pleasure to share with fellow foodies 🙂
How did I not know that you could actually make honeycomb?! This looks fantastic and kudos to you for trying it and having it come out so beautifully! It’s such a great idea for a wedding favor as well – I remember Crunchie as well and have some serious nostalgia right now. Happy FF and thanks for bringing it to the party!
Ooh gosh, what a responsibility and very well done on pulling it off. Its such a wonderful idea for wedding favours. I’ve never had much success making it, so I know what you mean. I shall follow your recipe next time and see what happens 🙂
Thanks Choclette, I don’t think I’ll be so worried next time but it is a big responsibility. I’m in awe of all the wedding cake makers out there. Oh lovely, let me know how you get on x
Honeycomb must be an English treat? I have never heard of it or tried it. Maybe I did as we use to travel to England quite a bit but I just don’t remember. Looks good covered in chocolate and good for you 85 wedding favors. Happy Fiesta Friday 🙂
Thanks Judi, I think I need to brush up on American names for honeycomb, maybe you’ve come across it as puff candy or crunchie?
I got so emotional reading this because food is so emotional and powerful isn’t it-it unites and the fact you discovered more about your Dad (crunchies rock) and his memories through creating these darling honeycombs (that took sweat and tears) was so moving to read. I learn so much from mistakes, culinary ones and those in life and this is a wonderful lesson to keep going because the outcome is dazzling. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Aww thanks Vicki, I got emotional writing the post, it was a wonderful day & worth the trials just to see the pleasure on my Dad’s face when I gave him a big packet of homemade Crunchie all to himself. You’re so right about keeping going & learning from life’s lessons. Always a pleasure to link up with #tastytuesdays x
Wow, I’ve never ever thought to make my own honeycomb. It sounds as though it was hard work to get it right but it looks delicious. Your friend must have been so happy with their wedding favours X #TT_Thursday
Oh goodness, getting my linked mixed up, comimg over from #foodpornthursdays
The wedding couple were pleased, which made all the effort worthwhile. I’ve made a few batches since for birthday gifts & it was much easier working from my notes with the final recipe x
I never saw an edible honeycomb ever. It’s too good.
Thank you, it is rather addictive.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of homeycomb? Your little wedding favors are just perfect, and I love that they are bite size. Perfect for the holidays!
Thanks for stopping by Julie. I think honeycomb is referred to as puff candy in the States, maybe I should link up with both names to avoid confusion.