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.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
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.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Share or save this

(UK only)
Please note that we’ve now introduced a shopping feature with our friends at Ocado so that you can get your ingredients delivered direct to your door, if Ocado serves your area - check at ocado.com/postcode. We hope that this will make shopping for Nigella’s recipe ingredients easier. For any queries related to your Ocado shop, head to ocado.com/customercare.
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
Please note that nigella.com is not able to accept responsibility for any substitutions that Ocado may need to make as a result of stock availability or otherwise. For any queries, head to ocado.com/customercare.
Feel free to use the “swap” feature and adjust brands and quantities as needed.
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.
Tell us what you think
Thank you {% member.data['first-name'] %}.
Explore more recipesYour comment has been submitted.
What 40 Others have said
So 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 :)