Chocolate Honeycomb Food

CHOCOLATE HONEYCOMB

Steps:

• Butter a 20cm square tin. Mix the sugar and golden syrup in a deep saucepan over a gentle heat until the sugar has melted. Try not to let the mixture bubble until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Turn up the heat a little and simmer until you have an amber coloured caramel (this won't take long). To test if it's ready, turn off the heat and drop a little into a glass of very cold water. If it forms a hard ball, it's ready. If not, turn the heat back on and cook a little more. Then, as quickly as you can, turn off the heat, tip in the bicarb and beat with a wooden spoon until it's disappeared and the mixture is foaming. Scrape into the tin immediately - be careful, the mixture will be very hot.
• Leave the honeycomb in the tin for 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins until hard (it will continue to bubble).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water.
• Snap the honeycomb into chunks and dip half of each piece into the chocolate. Drizzle with any remaining chocolate and a pinch of sea salt, if you like. Leave to set in the fridge for 1 hr.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED HONEYCOMB

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Prepare a baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray . 8x8 pan or a 13x9 pan.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey, and water in a large saucepan. Stir the ingredients together until the sugar is completely moistened. Using a wet pastry brush, wipe the sides of the saucepan to remove any stray sugar crystals.
• Insert a candy thermometer in the saucepan and cook the mixture over medium heat, without stirring, until the candy reaches 300 F. Do not rush the boiling by using high heat.
• Once the candy is at the proper temperature, remove it from the heat and add the baking soda all at once. Immediately, quickly whisk the candy to incorporate the baking soda, and be careful as it will foam up a great deal.
• As soon as the baking soda is incorporated, quickly and carefully pour the candy into the prepared baking pan.
• Allow it to cool and harden completely, then break it into small pieces.
• Combine the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 seconds spans, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted.
• Using two forks, dip the individual pieces in the melted chocolate so that they are completely covered and place them back on the baking sheet.
• Repeat with the remaining honeycomb and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
• Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE HONEYCOMB MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius Line 15 muffin tins with paper cups, or grease the bottoms only.
• Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the Chocolate chips and Chocolate coated honeycomb and make sure they are evenly spread out in the dry ingredients.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix together the brown sugar, vanilla extract, egg, melted butter and milk.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
• Divide batter into prepared muffin tins.
• Bake for about 20 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

HONEYCOMB CANDY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, gently combine the sugar and water then add the honey and corn syrup. Boil until amber colored and the sugar looks like caramel. Add the baking soda, and with a wooden spoon, stir in gently. It will foam up a lot. Pour the mixture onto a silpat or a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan, and let cool. Break into pieces.

CHOCOLATE HONEYCOMB CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degree C.
• Grease an 8 cup rectangular muffin pan or a 12 cup round muffin pan.
• Beat the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a bowl with an electric beater until combined.
• Stir through the chocolate coated honeycomb pieces (such as a violet crumble bar).
• Spoon into prepared pans.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked when tested.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.
• When cool frost with some chocolate frosting.

CHOCOLATE HONEYCOMB CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 12-hole 2-tablespoon capacity flat-based patty pan with paper cases.
• Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until it is pale and creamy; add the vanilla essence and the egg and beat until the ingredients are well-combined.
• Transfer the mixture to a larger bowl and fold in half the flour and then half the milk/buttermilk; repeat with the remaining flour and milk/buttermilk and stir until the batter is smooth.
• Finely chop 1 chocolate bar and stir into the batter. Three-quarters fill each paper case with batter.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cupcakes comes out clean; stand the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
• Making the chocolate icing: Combine the chocolate and cream in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl and microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring every half minute or so with a metal spoon, until smooth.
• Spread icing on the cupcakes: Roughly chop the remaining chocolate bar and sprinkle the chocolate honeycomb mixture over the cupcakes (see Notes below).
• Notes: (1) Violet Crumble bars are honeycomb covered with chocolate. I don't know if they are available outside of Australia. For English chefs, they are similar to Crunchie Bars. (2) Sprinkle the chopped chocolate bar over the cupcakes just prior to serving as once it is exposed to the air, honeycomb can become sticky.

MALTED CHOCOLATE DRIP CAKE

Steps:

• First make the malt sponges. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Tip the flour, malt and baking powder into the bowl with ¼ tsp salt and fold together, then add the yogurt and vanilla, and give everything a final stir. Divide the cake mixture between the 2 tins, level the tops and bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 mins or until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins, then remove from the tins, peel off the baking parchment and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wash the tins.
• Now make the chocolate sponges. Grease and line the base of the tins as before and boil the kettle. In the same bowl (don't worry about washing it), cream the butter and sugar as before, adding the eggs, one at a time, and mixing until combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder with ¼ tsp salt. Fold the mixture together, then add the yogurt, melted chocolate and 100ml boiling water. Stir until combined, then divide between the tins. Bake for 25-30 mins, testing with a skewer as before. Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out, remove the baking parchment and cool completely. The sponges can be made up to 2 days before being iced, cooled and wrapped tightly in cling film.
• Make the honeycomb. Grease a baking tray with a little butter or oil. Put the sugar and golden syrup in a large pan. Warm over a medium heat and leave to bubble to a liquid caramel, but don't stir. When you're happy with the colour (the darker it gets, the more intense the flavour will be), add the bicarbonate of soda and quickly stir into the syrup. Before the bubbles die down, pour the foaming mixture onto the baking tray, then set aside for 30 mins to cool and firm up.
• Make the icing. In your largest mixing bowl, beat the butter with half the icing sugar, the malt and vanilla until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar and the cream cheese, and beat again until well combined - don't overmix or the icing may become runny.
• You're now ready to assemble. Put one of the sponges on a cake stand or cake board, sticking it down with a small blob of icing. Use ¼ of the icing to stack the cakes, alternating between the malt and chocolate sponges. Place the final sponge on top, flat-side up. When assembled, use a palette knife to cover the entire cake with a thin layer of the icing, filling any gaps between sponges, but don't worry about completely covering the sponges at this stage. This is called a crumb coat and ensures that your final layer is crumb-free. Make space in your fridge and chill the cake for 30 mins to firm up the icing.
• Once the icing is chilled, use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. This is easiest if you pile the icing on top of the cake, then use a palette knife to ease it over the edge and down the sides. You can make it as smooth or as rough as you like. Chill for another 30 mins.
• Make the drizzle. Meanwhile, put the dark chocolate in a bowl and heat the cream in a small pan until just steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to melt for 5-10 mins. Stir to make a glossy ganache, then set aside to firm up a little - you want the ganache to be pourable but not too runny, to make drizzly droplets down the side of the cake.
• When the ganache is the correct consistency, remove the cake from the fridge and spoon the ganache over the top edge of the cake, encouraging it to drizzle down the side with your spoon - start at the back of the cake to get the hang of it. Fill in the middle of the top of the cake with chocolate too.
• Break the honeycomb into tall shards and stack them on top of the cake. Finish with whole and halved Maltesers, adding a few around the base, along with some honeycomb crumbs. The cake is best served within 2-3 hrs of assembling, but will still taste delicious for up to 3 days. Store leftovers in the fridge and allow to come back to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE HONEYCOMB SLICE

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 18cm x 28cm slice pan. Line the base and two long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm over the pan edge.
• In a small saucepan, combine condensed milk and butter. Stir over a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes, until the butter has melted and the mixture is well combined.
• Transfer butter mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the crushed biscuits and 2/3 of the chopped violet crumbles. Press firmly into the prepared pan using a fork. Chill for 3 minutes, until firm.
• Melt chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Pour over the slice. Sprinkle with remaining Violet Crumble. Chill for 25 minutes, until firm.
• Using a hot knife, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

CHOCOLATE TART WITH HONEYCOMB

Steps:

• To make the honeycomb, butter a large baking tray and line with baking parchment. In a large saucepan, heat the golden syrup and caster sugar until the sugar is melted. Increase the heat and boil until it becomes a dark caramel, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 2 mins. Add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk like mad; the bubbles will be extremely hot, so be careful not to splash any on you. Quickly pour onto the tray to set. Can be done to this stage 2 days ahead.
• Line a 23cm round, loose-bottomed tart tin with the pastry, leaving any extra overhanging the edges. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with rice or baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the baking beans and parchment, and bake for another 5-7 mins until golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn it down to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
• To make the filling, put the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to melt without stirring too much. Put the cream in a small pan and bring to the boil. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then pour over the cream, mixing the whole time. Add the chocolate to the cream mixture along with a pinch of salt and mix well to combine.
• Carefully pour the mixture into the tart case, place in the oven and switch it off. After 20 mins, remove and chill for at least 2 hrs to set. Serve the tart in slices scattered with crumbled honeycomb, with crème fraîche on the side.