Perfect Honeycomb/Cinder Toffee

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Miss K and I decided that we wanted to have a go at making some honeycomb (also known as cinder toffee, Crunchie and hokey pokey depending on where you live). I've tried making this a couple of times before with varying degrees of success, so I scoured the internet looking for the 'perfect' recipe. I found that some recipes used vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, while some just used the bicarb; some recipes included butter and some didn't and some required a sugar thermometer while others didn't! So in the end, I settled on one of the most simple recipes I could find, after googling 'perfect cinder toffee', which was on  a blog called Cream Until Fluffy...which sadly no longer exists.

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After reading the comments, I decided to use a sugar thermometer (I boiled the sugar and syrup to between 140C and 150C or  between the 'soft/'hard crack' stages - the colour is a good indication if you dont have a sugar themometer) and I reduced the amount of bicarb by half (2 level tsp). Apart from that, I followed the recipe and method exactly. 

The only problem I encountered was getting the stuff out of the tin after it had cooled. I thought I had greased my (non-stick) tin really well, but obviously not well enough. It took me some time and determination to chisel the honeycomb out, but most of it did come out of the tin eventually! I would recommend greasing the tin, really, really well...or maybe line the tin with greased parchment paper.

As you can see from the photos, the honeycomb looks good and I can tell you that it tastes even better!

• 200g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

8″ square tin, well buttered.

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Combine the sugar, water and syrup in a saucepan. Put the saucepan on a low-medium heat and allow it to dissolve, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat up slightly. Do not stir at all.
Allow it to simmer for 3-4 mins until it darkens a little – no darker than maple syrup though.

Take the pan off the heat and quickly beat in bicarb. for a few seconds. Pour it into the well greased tin and leave to cool and set. Something in the region of 3 hours. Chop, splinter and cut with a knife. Store in an airtight tin.

Recipe and method reproduced by kind permission by Anna of Cream Until Fluffy.
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Gingersnap Biscuits/Cookies (vegan)

These ginger-snap biscuits are really quick to make in the food processor. Younger kids will love rolling out the dough and decorating the finished cookies, while older children will be able to make these with minimal supervision.

• 300g/12oz SR flour
• 100g/4oz dairy-free spread/butter
• 100g/4 oz soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tbsp black treacle/molasses
• 2-3 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2-4 tbsp cold water/milk

Heat oven to 190C/180C Fan/375F/Gas 5.

Blend the spread/butter into the flour.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the water) and blend well. 
Add just enough water to form a firm dough.
Chill the dough for about 20 minutes before rolling out.

Roll out the dough on a floured board and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.
Place the shapes on a greased baking sheet. Re-roll any scraps to make extra biscuits.
Bake for around 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow to cool on the tray for a minute or so, before transferring onto a wire rack to cool.

Decorate with glacé icing when cool (optional).

Suitable for freezing.

Alternatives: Decorate the cookies accordingly for any occasion - we made ours for Halloween, but you could use different shaped cutters and different coloured icing for birthday parties and Christmas.

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Cheese Eyeballs and Witches' Fingers for Halloween

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I've just made these cheesy horrors with my kids for our Halloween party. They're very easy to children to help make (think of it as cheesy playdough!) and taste great too. If your kids won't eat anything that's been near an olive, you could always cut out pieces of red or green pepper and use those instead of the olives.

Makes about 20 (double mixture to make a large batch). 

• 2 cups of grated reduced-fat mature cheddar cheese - or any other hard cheese.
• ½ cup sunflower spread/butter
• 1 cup plain flour or gluten-free flour
• 1 tsp paprika or ½ tsp English mustard powder
• 100g/4oz pimento stuffed olives 

Cut 5 olives in half width-ways for the eyes and cut 3 into quarters long-ways for the nails.

Mix the cheese, sunflower spread, flour and paprika/mustard together (in a food processor if have one). Add a tiny drop of milk or cold water if needed, so that you have a firm dough.

Divide the dough into about 20 pieces and roll into balls. Form half of the balls into eye shapes and press a dent into each using your finger. 

Then press half an olive into each dent (so that the olive looks like the iris/pupil).

Roll the other half into finger shapes and press a quarter of an olive onto the end of each finger to form the nail.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 210C/200C Fan/Gas 7/425F for about 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

If you have some red food colouring, paint on some veins and allow to dry. Serve warm or cold.

Suitable for freezing.

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Spooky Chocolate Biscuits

These biscuits can be made into different shapes and decorated with icing for different occasions. I've scoured the local shops for Halloween cookie cutters (I should've been more organised and ordered them in advance from Amazon!) so we're making round cookies with a spider's web design iced on.

This recipes makes around 25 biscuits.

• 250g/10oz plain flour
• 50g/2oz cocoa
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 175g/7oz spreadable butter/sunflower spread (not the low fat stuff unless you want soggy biscuits!)
• 175g/7oz soft brown sugar
• 1 medium egg

Cream the butter and sugar and beat in the egg.
Mix in the dry ingredients until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. If the dough is sticky just add in a bit more flour.

Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes.

Roll out on a floured board and cut into shapes.

Place on a greased baking sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes at 180C/Gas 4.

Cook on a wire rack.

When cool, decorate with icing.

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Remember, remember the 5th of November (and the 31st of October!)

This year, we're throwing a joint Halloween and Bonfire Night party for friends and family. The kids will be helping me prepare various tasty treats and buffet foods in advance (recipes to follow) to avoid a last minute panic on Saturday.

We've bought our pumpkins ready for carving. There are lots of Jack O'Lantern designs you can print off and trace onto your pumpkin if you're not feeling up to carving freehand. I love this site on extreme pumpkin carving too!

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