My obsession with honeycomb and perfecting the recipe continues. I’m still not 100% satisfied with the golden syrup version of this honeycomb but the corn syrup version is outstanding. Having always thought that golden syrup and corn syrup are interchangeable it turns out they aren’t at least in this recipe. But have a try with either. The corn syrup gives you a lighter both in color and texture version, the golden syrup a darker almost burnt, and more condensed version. That isn’t to say that the golden syrup version isn’t good, it is but it will need many more hours in the kitchen to reach honeycomb perfection.
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 350g (1 3/4 cups) granulated sugar
- 255g (1 ¾ cups) corn syrup or golden syrup
1. Grease and line a medium-sized dish with tall sides with parchment paper so that the paper comes up higher than the sides.
2. Have the honey measured in one dish and stir the baking soda and cream of tartar together in another dish. Have these on hand, along with a whisk, by the stove before you start cooking the sugar.
3. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, place the water, sugar, and golden/ corn syrup and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring just once or twice to ensure everything is dissolving evenly. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 140ºC (284ºF) on a candy thermometer.
4. At this point, stir in the honey, and continue boiling until it reaches 150ºC (300ºF). Remove the pot from the heat, add the baking soda cream of tartar mix to the boiling liquid and whisk quickly and vigorously to make sure it has been incorporated, but once the baking soda is no longer visible, stop stirring so as not to deflate the honeycomb. Quickly pour the frothing mass (it will keep growing and growing!) into the prepared pan and let it set (do not spread it) until cool – this can take up to 2 hours, and it will continue to grow a little more before it sets.
4. Crack the honeycomb with a rolling pin to break into bite-sized pieces.
