Australian Honeycomb Recipes

Steps:

• Line a baking dish with parchment paper, measure out baking soda in a small bowl, and have a heat-proof spatula ready before starting.
• Whisk sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water together in a saucepan with a candy thermometer attached. Heat over medium heat until mixture is thinner but still cloudy. Let bubble until mixture is clear and thermometer registers 300 degrees F (149 degrees C).
• Remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda until just incorporated. Switch to a spatula and very carefully pour into the lined dish. Do not spread it out with your spatula or compress mixture at all, or the bubbles will deflate. Let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove candy from the pan by lifting out the parchment paper. Rap against the counter and use your fingers to break it into individual pieces.

Steps:

• In a medium size, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine water, sugar, honey and corn syrup. Clip a candy thermometer onto the inside of the pan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil without stirring. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush down the sides of the pan to remove any undissolved sugar granules.
• Continue cooking until sugar reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage)before removing from heat. Working quickly, add baking soda to sugar mixture and whisk until baking soda is well-incorporated. This may take a few seconds and liquid will bubble up and become foamy.
• Still working quickly, pour mixture onto a silicone baking mat or a parchment lined baking sheet. The mixture will spread out, puff up slightly and have a porous, shiny surface. Allow to harden for about 20 minutes without touching or moving it. Once cooled break honeycomb into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last 1 to 2 days before it begins to lose it's crunch.
• Be sure to coat with semi-sweet chocolate chips melted in the microwave before breaking this if you want the lovely confection as served in Australia.