Old Fashioned Sponge Candy Recipes

SPONGE CANDY

Steps:

• Line 9-inch square cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with foil, extending foil over sides. Generously butter foil. Combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in heavy large deep saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until clip-on candy thermometer registers 300°F, swirling pan occasionally, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately add baking soda and stir until well combined (mixture will foam vigorously). Immediately pour mixture into prepared pan. Cool completely.
• Using foil as aid, lift, candy from pan; fold down foil sides. Cut or break candy into large pieces (save any small pieces or shreds to use as a topping for ice cream). (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

HONEYCOMB TOFFEE

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.

OLD FASHIONED SPONGE CANDY (SEAFOAM)

Steps:

• 1. Combine sugar,syrup and vinegar in a large deep saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then continue cooking WITHOUT stirring until 300^ on candy thermometer. Remove quickly and stir in soda(it will foam up high), mix well and pour right away into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan. DO NOT SPREAD OUT, AIR WILL BE DEFLATED and candy will stick to teeth...When cool; break into pieces. --- Note: If you desire you can spread 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chips, butterscotch chips or mint chips on the hot candy in the pan and spread to coat the top and sprinkle with nuts before it cools.

OLD FASHIONED SPONGE CANDY

Steps:

• line the bottom and sides of a 9x9" square pan -- with aluminum foil -- butter foil and set aside.
• combine sugar, vinegar and corn syrup in a heavy pan --
• stir once over medium heat till sugar dissolves --
• heat until mixture reaches the hard crack stage or 290*-310* on candy thermometer.
• remove from heat, carefully stir in baking soda.mixture will foam quite high --
• pour mixture into prepared pans, set aside at room temperature until firm --
• invert pan to remove candy.
• peel foil off and break candy into small pieces --
• store in an airtight container at room temperature -- .

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES CANDY

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium; cook until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage), stirring occasionally. , Add molasses and remaining butter. Cook, uncovered, until a candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add baking soda; beat well., Pour into prepared pan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Butter fingers; quickly pull candy until firm by pliable (color will be light tan). When candy is ready for cutting, pull into a 1/2-in. rope. Cut into 1-in. pieces. Wrap each in waxed paper or colored candy wrappers.

HONEYCOMB CANDY - AKA HOKEY-POKEY OR SPONGE CANDY

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water, and using a wooden spoon, stir constantly over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Put candy thermometer into the mixture to monitor temperature, increase the heat and boil mixture to exactly 270 degrees F (132C).
• Reduce heat to as low as possible and maintain the temperature 270F for exactly 15 minutes.
• It is very important that the temperature of the mixture does not fluctuate; if the temperature begins to rise, remove the pan from heat occasionally to reduce the heat.
• After the temperature has been maintained for 15 minutes, remove the pan from heat, take out the thermometer, and allow the bubbles to subside.
• Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in finely sifted baking soda.
• Immediately and quickly pour the mixture into a large oiled baking dish.
• (Please note, important: the pouring step requires strength and you'll be handling extremely hot liquids; if you're not strong and agile enough you might want to leave that step to a strong and able assistant.) When candy has completely cooled, remove from pan and break into pieces.
• Many lovers of honeycomb candy like to coat the pieces in chocolate- you can dunk the pieces into melted chocolate if you like.

OLD-FASHIONED SEA FOAM CANDY

Steps:

• Butter or oil an 8 inch square baking pan; set aside.
• Put sugar, vinegar, syrup, and water in a heavy 4 quart saucepan (cast iron if you have it). Gently heat the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar has dissolved and syrup has melted. Bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes, then remove lid and boil until temperature reaches 285 degrees F (140 degrees C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda, mixing well to allow bubbles to subside a little.
• Pour hot mixture into prepared pan and 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, and baking chocolate in a 2-quart glass bowl. Microwave on High for 2 minutes to melt. Stir with a wooden spoon. Dip candy 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.