Toffee Crunch Candy

This is a favorite recipe from childhood that I was reminded of the other day. I mostly make it around Christmas time as a seasonal treat at our house. I sometimes crush it and serve it as a garnish for chocolate glazed cupcakes or add small chunks to a chocolate biscuit cake. We like to dunk it in plain melted chocolate for a homemade version of one of my favorite candy bars too.

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tbsp baking soda

You will need to make this in a large pot because the foaming action of the baking soda needs plenty of room. I use a 4 quart dutch oven. Remember that this is candy making and high temperatures are required so exercise caution. The hot candy mixture can burn your skin very quickly if you come into contact with it, so it's best to do this one with the kids well clear of the kitchen.

Prepare a 13x9 inch baking dish by lining it with lightly greased aluminum foil. Alternatively a baking sheet with a silicone liner can also be used to pour the hot candy onto.

Bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (hard crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Do NOT leave this mixture as it boils because it can burn very, very quickly when it reaches the proper temperature. If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a teaspoon of the mixture into ice water to test it. If the mix hardens immediately to a brittle glass like, hard candy consistently it is ready to add the baking soda.

Remove the pot form the heat and working at hands length for safety ( a lot of hot steam will rise from the pot when the soda is added) quickly whisk in the baking soda and immediately pour it into the prepared pan.

Let it cool completely before breaking or cutting into individual pieces and serving. This candy is very susceptible to humidity, so as soon as it cools completely, store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bags to preserve it's crunchy, melt-in-you-mouth texture.