Bonfire Toffee
A nice recipe for the kids.
Ingredients:
- 60g Margarine
- 180g White Sugar
- 155g Golden Syrup
- 70g Black Treacle
- 20mls Vinegar
Method:
Put the margarine and the white sugar in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring all of the time. When all of the margarine has melted, add the golden syrup and black treacle. Continue to stir until the sugar has dissolved. Boil slowly, over a low heat, stirring occasionally.
You need to boil off enough water for the mixture to solidify when cooled to room temperature but you also need to keep the temperature of the mixture low enough during cooking to prevent burning. The test involves getting a sample of mixture on a teaspoon and dropping it into cold water - either in a cup or a saucer.
When the test yields a soft but not liquid result, add the vinegar carefully. The water and most of the acetic acid in the vinegar will boil off but some will stay in the toffee and modify the flavour - most importantly, the malt will stay in the final toffee.
Lightly grease a toffee tray with margarine.
Keep on boiling slowly and testing every few minutes (things speed up towards the end) until you get a stiff result - you will get a feel for how fast you can boil toffee without burning it. Carefully pour into a greased toffee tray and let cool. When cold, break up with a toffee hammer or the handle of a heavy knife or spoon.
Variations:
- Add some peppermint oil or orange oil near the end to alter the flavour slightly.
- Add some nuts (sliced roast almonds or brazils).
Storage:
Break up and store in an airtight tin - bonfire toffee is deliquescent so, unless you want to end up with a sugar solution, make sure that it is airtight.
Serving suggestions:
Eat straight from the tin whilst watching the bonfire.
