Honeycomb Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Why is my homemade honeycomb 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.

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.

Bees make honeycombs by first secreting a wax-like substance from glands on their abdomen. This wax is then formed into hexagons that make up the shape of the honeycomb. The bees then fill the honeycomb with the nectar they collect from flowers and use enzymes in their saliva to turn the nectar into honey.

White vinegar – one of the things that makes this candy unique is the light and airy texture of the toffee. We have the vinegar, in part, to thank for that! Vinegar reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to form little bubbles of carbon dioxide that give the honeycomb candy its airy, crisp texture.

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.

At the last second, baking soda is added and reacts to the high heat in the pan, causing the mixture to foam and swell as carbon dioxide bubbles are released. These fizzing bubbles are caught in the final product as it quickly cools - leading to the effect for which the dessert is named for, a honeycomb of sorts.

If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

If your candied coating isn't hardening, the candying mixture did not reach a high enough temperature. Allow your candying mixture to cook until it bubbles, thickens, and turns a rich golden color, sort of like caramel. Then, quickly turn off the heat so it doesn't burn.

Temperature – allow the sugar syrup to reach the required temperature of 149°C known as hard crack. Taking the syrup off the heat too soon is a common mistake, causing the honeycomb to be sticky.

Honeycomb is basically beeswax and raw honey, so it's 100% edible and safe to eat. The beeswax alone has very little nutritional value, with the exception of trace amounts of Vitamin A. However, since our system does not break down beeswax, it can help the body move food and waste through the gut.

What is honeycomb vs honeycomb? ›

In summary, honeycomb is the physical structure constructed by bees made up of beeswax cells, while comb honey refers specifically to the harvested and packaged honeycomb cells filled with honey.

Melt and Render the Wax

To render beeswax from the honeycomb, you must melt the comb in simmering water.

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.

Once the sugar has melted fully, increase the heat slightly and bring it to a simmer until it turns bubbly and amber in colour, almost like maple syrup – any darker and the honeycomb will taste bitter.

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.

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.

Honeycomb can often have a chewy consistency and more texture than filtered, pure honey. This comes from the waxy layer that surrounds the honeycomb. The wax from the honeycomb can be chewed like gum or spit it out. It is all safe to eat!

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.

Heat softens honeycomb. Add a few small chunks of honeycomb on top of the bread. While the honeycomb won't melt entirely, it will become more pliable, allowing you to spread it on the toast with a knife or fork. As the honeycomb heats up, it will not only become softer, but more aromatic as well.