Hokey Pokey (New Zealand Honeycomb Toffee)
In short: Golden, crunchy honeycomb candy made from sugar, golden syrup and baking soda, enjoyed on its own, dipped in chocolate or crushed into ice cream. It takes about 22 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 85 kcal
Hokey pokey is New Zealand's name for honeycomb toffee, a light, crunchy, amber candy full of tiny air bubbles. It is made by boiling sugar and golden syrup to a hard crack, then whisking in baking soda, which foams the mixture into a crisp lattice. Many people know the flavor best from hokey pokey ice cream, where small pieces are folded through vanilla. The candy is quick to make but needs a careful eye on the pan.
Instructions
- Grease a 20 cm (8 in) square cake pan and line it with baking paper. Measure the baking soda into a small bowl and keep it next to the stove with a whisk.
- Combine the sugar, golden syrup and water in a large, deep, heavy saucepan of at least 3 litres (3 quarts). Stir over medium heat only until the sugar dissolves.
- Stop stirring and boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the syrup turns deep amber and reaches 150°C (300°F). A drop in cold water should turn brittle at once.
- Take the pan off the heat. Whisk in the baking soda for just 3 to 4 seconds. The mixture will foam up to about four times its volume.
- Pour it straight into the pan without spreading it. Leave undisturbed for 1 hour until completely hard.
- Break the honeycomb into pieces. If you like, dip the pieces in melted chocolate and let them set on baking paper.
Tips
- Use a pan much bigger than you think you need, because the mixture rises to about four times its volume. Work quickly and do not stir after adding the baking soda, or the bubbles collapse. Hot sugar causes severe burns, so keep children away from the stove.
- Humidity makes honeycomb sticky. Store it in an airtight tin with baking paper between layers and eat within a week.
Questions and answers
Why is my hokey pokey dense or chewy?
The syrup was not boiled hot enough, below about 150°C (300°F), or the baking soda was stirred too long. Boil to a deep amber and whisk for only a few seconds.
Why does my honeycomb taste bitter?
The syrup was overheated or too much baking soda went in. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the syrup is deep amber and measure the baking soda carefully.
How do I make hokey pokey ice cream?
Break the cooled candy into small pieces and fold them through softened vanilla ice cream just before it refreezes. Add them late so they stay crunchy.
How long does it take to make Hokey Pokey (New Zealand Honeycomb Toffee)?
About 22 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 12 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Hokey Pokey (New Zealand Honeycomb Toffee)?
About 85 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 21 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 85 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 20 g |
| Sodium | 200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
