Sponge Candy ~ Cinder Toffee Recipe

I haven't had this candy since I was a kid and it was a special treat.  It would come in this block, all wrapped in clear plastic.  And you would eat it until your tongue hurt and your teeth ached.  And still it would be so good that you just had to keep eating it.  But as the years went by and I didn't see it forever, I just forgot about it.

Sponge Candy

2 1/2   Cups Sugar

2/3      Cups Light Corn Syrup

6 Tbsp Water

2 Tsp   Vanilla

2 Tbsp Baking Soda

In a large pot put Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water and Vanilla.  Heat on medium/high heat (do not stir) until candy thermometer reaches 300* (hard crack stage).  It will turn a light brown color.  (I don't know if I messed it up, but I did stir it before I turned on the heat... I couldn't resist).

Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda.  Mix quickly (like around 5ish seconds), and pour into parchment paper lined greased pan.  Leave it to set and get hard, then pry it out of the pan, and break it into chunks.  This can be messy, but I do it on a huge cookie sheet to catch most of the crumbs.

Store in an air tight container.  I use quart jars.  If you leave it out and air gets at it, any moisture in the air will make the candy shrink and get harder.

****  Make sure you use a very large pot, because when you add the baking soda it will foam up like crazy.  Also, pre-measure the baking soda so you have it on hand ready to go.  I also sifted my soda because the first time I made it, it had lumps and every once in a while when you were eating it you would get a lump of baking soda.  

****You are supposed to use one of those round cheese cake pans that the sides comes off of but I don't have one, so I used a rectangle cake Pan, but I greased the sides really well  (I used butter.) and made sure I had the bottom lined with the parchment paper.  

~~~~~  Now, if you want to get fancy, you can dip chunks into melted chocolate, and then you will be doomed to eat it all for sure.  The result is this delicious Crunchy Chocolate bar that crunches, and then somehow melts in your mouth and leaves you reaching for more.  It is seriously maybe even better then those store bought crunchy bars.~~~~~~

Anyways there you have it.  And it's seriously good, and not even hard to make.  Surprisingly easy in fact.  And sooo so good.  Everyone who tried a piece said it was just like when they were a kid.

Enjoy!

All jarred up!  Good to give out to friends or to hide in the pantry for a sweet craving.

Marble Almond Roca

Every year around Christmas I make this yummy treat.  They also make a wonderful gift if you put them in a pretty tin or jar.

Marble Almond Roca

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds, Toasted

1 Cup Butter, Cubed

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Boiling Water

2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Brown Almonds at 300*F for 15 minutes or toast in a pan on the stove top.  Spread on a Parchment Paper lined 15 X 10 inch baking sheet.

In a large saucepan, cook butter and sugar for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add water and corn syrup.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  |Cook string occasionally until candy thermometer reaches 300*F (Hard Crack Stage).  Quickly pour over Almonds.  Sprinkle Chips and let set for 2 minutes.  Swirl chocolate over candy.  Cool completely.  Break into pieces.  

Stores well in Freezer for quite a long time.  Not sure exactly how long, since it always gets eaten.  

I like to toast my nuts on the stove top.  I just put them in the pan at medium heat.

I keep tossing them in the pan or stirring them around until they start to get a nice toasted scent and color.

Spread them on a cookie sheet that you've lined with parchment paper.  Otherwise the candy will stick.  Don't worry about getting the nuts right to the edge.  The candy won't spread that far.

Mix your semi sweet and white chocolate chips in a bowl and set it aside.

In a large saucepan, add the sugar and butter.

On Medium heat, cook the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or so.

Add in the light corn syrup and boiling water.  Thbis will make the sugar mixture bubble and steam.

On medium heat cook the mixture until it reaches 300* (Hard Crack Stage) on the candy thermometer.  The sugar mixture will darken in color.  Give it a stir once in a while.

When it reaches 300*, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the toasted almonds.  You will have to sort of pour it her and there over the almonds.  Be careful, it is very, very hot and will stick to you and burn you if you get it on yourself.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over top of it and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Sometimes I will wait a minute before sprinkling the chocolate chips as the candy is really hot and cooks the white chips so that they don't melt that great.

After a few minutes, give the chips a swirl around.

Let the candy completely cool.  You can quicken the cool time by popping it in the fridge.  This works for me if I can't wait.  Once it is cool break it into pieces and put it in a tin, or jar.

Enjoy!