The Poultry Keeper

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 382 Location: Lincolnshire

Hi there
I'm on the hunt for a good 'cinder toffee' recipe. Any one got one that works well?
Sue

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1358 Location: Leicestershire

Hmm - it's one of those things really tricky to get just right and oh so easy to get wrong, however :-

2oz butter
8oz demerara sugar
6 fl os golden syrup
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Generously butter an 8" square tin.
Put remaining butter into a large heavy saucepan and melt, add sugar, syrup and vinegar, heat gently till sugar has dissolved, then boil syrup to hard crack stage (300f, 149c) immediately remove pan from heat and stir in bicarbonate of soada. As soon as the mixture foams stir it up again and pour at once into prepared tin, when it's cool mark it into squares and when quite cold cut it up and store in airtight container.

It will deteriorate quite quickly if the container isn't airtight as the toffee very readily absorbs moisture and just goes to a sticky blob so it's best to put it in a freezer bag and seal first.

I used to make and sell fudge and other sweets at shows and this was the one thing that was easier and better to buy. Try and "smooth" the bicarb out with the back of a spoon as it tends to be lumpy and you end up with lumps in the toffee and areas where no bicarb has reached.

Have fun

Itsybitsy

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 382 Location: Lincolnshire

Thanks I'm going to have a bash at that. I saw Nigella Lawson make a version on Nigella Express but I wasn't sure if it was the same thing she called hers Hoky poky or something.

I was interestd to see you made fudge. I've spent the past few weeks perfecting my technique as it seems to be more about technique than the recipe. I make fudge in small batches in the microwave which seems to stop it crystalising and going sugary. I haven't progressed to flavouring it do you add flavours at the last minute?

From what you say Cinder Toffee is similar to fudge in that it takes a bit of practice. I'll use a pan and jam thermometer for the cinder toffee as it seems to go to a higher temperature.

sue Very Happy

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1358 Location: Leicestershire

When you start to boil a sugar/water mix for toffee or something, it gets to boiling point and just a bit over and seems to stay there for a longish time, this is because the water is evaporating, you need the water to dissolve the sugar so don't try and cut down on it, anyway when the water has evaporated the temperature will start to rise and go up steadily, I find my jam thermometer to be rather inaccurate as I can move it up and down in the holder, if yours is the same, boil some water and see where 100 degrees is in relation to the scale at the side and use that as a guide.

I used to make the sugary fudge known as Tablet in Scotland, it had many fans, I also made another similar one and I called that Aunty Anne's as it was my sisters recipe, the bulk of the fudge was a pre pack mix, American style & I did about 16 flavours, the flavours were added as it was mixing but as it never got above boiling point I don't think that mattered, you would probably need to add them as it was cooling down, I also made Turkish delight, peanut brittle and a lot of chocolate marzipan things.

Itsybitsy