Hokey Pokey
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA EXPRESSIntroduction
Hokey pokey is a Cornish term for honeycomb. It is wonderful eaten in golden shards or crumbled into the best vanilla ice cream. It is also the perfect present to take to a dinner party. Better than flowers, as they need to be put into a vase, better than chocolate, which people tend to smile politely at, but put away in a drawer: no one can resist a bit of hokey pokey I've found.
The quantities I've specified don't make an awful lot — enough to fill a little tin 12cm in diameter by 6cm deep — but any more and you'd be sued by your dentist.
Hokey pokey is a Cornish term for honeycomb. It is wonderful eaten in golden shards or crumbled into the best vanilla ice cream. It is also the perfect present to take to a dinner party. Better than flowers, as they need to be put into a vase, better than chocolate, which people tend to smile politely at, but put away in a drawer: no one can resist a bit of hokey pokey I've found.
The quantities I've specified don't make an awful lot — enough to fill a little tin 12cm in diameter by 6cm deep — but any more and you'd be sued by your dentist.
Ingredients
Makes: 125g / 2 cups
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 4 tablespoons golden syrup
- 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- ½ cup superfine sugar
- 4 tablespoons golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
Method
- Put the sugar and syrup into a large saucepan (20cm / 8 inches diameter and at least 9cm / 3½ inches deep) and stir together to mix. You mustn't stir once the pan's on the heat, though.
- Place the pan on the heat and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo and then to a bubbling mass the colour of maple syrup — this will take 3 minutes or so.
- Off the heat, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and watch the syrup turn into a whooshing cloud of aerated pale gold. Turn this immediately onto a piece of reusable baking parchment or greased foil.
- Leave until set and then bash at it, so that it splinters into many glinting pieces.
- Put the sugar and syrup into a large saucepan (20cm / 8 inches diameter and at least 9cm / 3½ inches deep) and stir together to mix. You mustn't stir once the pan's on the heat, though.
- Place the pan on the heat and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo and then to a bubbling mass the colour of maple syrup — this will take 3 minutes or so.
- Off the heat, whisk in the baking soda and watch the syrup turn into a whooshing cloud of aerated pale gold. Turn this immediately onto a piece of reusable baking parchment or greased foil.
- Leave until set and then bash at it, so that it splinters into many glinting pieces.
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Show more commentsSo quick and easy - first time I made it I burned the pan and smoked my kitchen out! That was my fault though. I would advise watching the pan like a hawk! When I was little this was known as "puff candy" and it's still my favourite treat. Sometimes I dip the pieces in chocolate which goes down extremely well. Makes lovely Christmas gifts!
Made mine today, but substituted local grown honey for golden syrup. I also used the toffee 'drop' test to make sure it had cooked long enough (5 minutes). Added the bi carb and the clouds happened, but should have used a deeper pan. Nonetheless, a delicious result of crispy 'real' honeycomb.
Works a treat ! Lovely clouds and no gooey mess. Make sure you measure exactly and don't cook on too high a heat.
This is seriously the easiest recipe i have ever followed!! 3 ingredients = 1 yummy sweet treat, only problem i had was eating too much, DELICIOUS
hi i really wanna make this but i cant find golden syrup where i stay so could you please suggest any substitute?
Amazing! This is the first time I've ever made 'Hokey Pokey' its turned out perfect and the whole family is impressed. I can't believe how quick and easy it was, I can recommend this recipe. Thank you for sharing this!
Usually when I make something, it fails first time, - not this! It is easy, & quick - just waiting to taste now. Burnt my tongue on the spoon though, in my haste to sample it!!
What a fabulous recipe! I've made this just and it's awesome. Thanks Nigella!
I have just made this today, and as an added extra, I melted some dairy milk chocolate and cooled it, when the hokey pokey was set I poured on the melted chocolate and put it in the fridge to set, tastes just like a cruchcie it's so nice.
I have literally just made this! Easy as pie! Now just a waiting game for eating it :-) and maybe sharing...we'll see.
Extremely easy recipe to follow. Turns out perfectly, every time. Family loves it.
This turned out perfect! And super easy as well! Thank you so much :)