Buffalo Sponge Candy
I am so excited to finally have a recipe for sponge candy to share with you! I have been testing out recipes and techniques for months now. I have had many failed batches and have spent quite a bit of time scrubbing scorched sugar out of pans. I am a total newb to candy making, and I tried at least 4 different recipes twice before I found one I was happy to share with you.
But, before we jump into the recipe and all that fun candy making stuff, let’s talk about Sponge Candy. If you are from Upstate New York, particularly the Buffalo Region, there is probably no explanation needed. This sweet Buffalo treat has been expertly crafted by longtime confectioners such as Watson’s, Fowler’s, Alethea’s, and Parkside, While many confectioners make and sell sponge candy, this popular confection can also be found in the bulk foods section of Wegmans.
These chocolates have a light-as-air crispy “sponge” of aerated toffee, you can find dark chocolate and milk chocolate sponge candy. If you have never had sponge candy, maybe you just know it by another name. The crispy “sponge” interior is not exclusive to our part of the country, in fact, it is known by a wide variety of names in different regions.
- sea foam in Maine, Washington, Oregon, Utah, California, and Michigan, United States
- sponge candy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, St. Paul, Minnesota, Northwest Pennsylvania, and of course Western New York, United States
- sponge toffee in Canada
Ok, let’s get back to the candy making, First off, I am a novice candy maker, terms like hardball and soft-crack are all foreign to me. I started with a recipe that had “easy” in the title and required no candy thermometer. I actually attempted this recipe a few times before moving on, it resulted in a flat candy with little aeration and was a no go for me.
The second recipe I tried using vinegar, I thought that would combat the “flatness” of the first few batches. It did, and that is putting it mildly. It is shocking is how long sponge candy can and will continue to expand, even after it has been poured in a pan. Big mess would be an understatement for what happened in my kitchen that day.
With each and every attempt I was beginning to grasp the concept of candy making, and also discover where my challenges were coming from. I quickly realized with each and every single attempt, though, was that my smooth top electric stove lacked precise temperature control, and even heating, which was where the majority of my problems stemmed from. All of my problems were easily fixed with a cheap candy thermometer. If sponge candy is your first venture into candy making, I can not strongly enough suggest picking up a thermometer, especially if you have an electric stove. I can also see where an induction cook-top would be very handy in this process if you have one. I had a NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop, but sadly, it mysteriously just quit working before I began my quest to make sponge candy, has anyone else had this problem?
Buffalo Sponge Candy
These chocolates have a light-as-air crispy “sponge” of aerated toffee and are especially common in the Buffalo area.
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp Gelatin unflavored
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp baking soda sifted
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate, melted and tempered for dipping
Instructions
- Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper, with extra paper hanging over the sides. Alternatively, butter and dust the pan with flour. Tapping out the excess flour.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water and allow to bloom.
- In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan with high sides, mix sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Clip on candy thermometer onto the side of the saucepan and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 310 F.
- Remove from heat and let sit for two minutes undisturbed, the bubbling will subside, and the temperature will drop. Add gelatin and whisk, be careful, the sugar syrup will bubble up. Sprinkle baking soda over syrup and whisk vigorously. Return mixture to the heat and whisk for 30 seconds. The sugar will expand in the pot, a lot!
- Quickly pour into prepared pan, it should come out in a big blob. Do not spread the mixture, just let it settle into the pan. Leave the pan undisturbed, and allow the candy to cool completely (about 2 hours or overnight) before removing from the pan.
- Either break into odd pieces or cut into squares. This is an incredibly messy process, but fun! To cut into squares - using a serrated knife, score the candy at 1-inch intervals. Snap the candy apart at the score lines. Then score and break into squares.
- Melt chocolate melts in a double boiler (or bowl sitting above a pot of boiling water). Dip sponge candies in chocolate, tap off excess. Chill in the fridge to set the chocolate shell.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 292Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 331mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 2gSugar: 49gProtein: 1g
With all my failed sponge candy attempts behind me, once I found what I think is the best recipe for sponge candy, I realized it really isn’t that difficult, and dare I say maybe even a little fun! After the sponge has set, the real fun begins! Breaking or cutting the candy is a messy endeavor, there will be a ton of “crumbles”, save these in a Ziploc bag (air is not a friend to sponge candy, especially when it is humid out) they are pretty tasty as an ice cream topping. It is fun to snap the candy into that well-known cube shape, and a good job for kids who want to be involved.
Coating the sponge candy in chocolate helps protect the delicate sponge from humidity, and tastes delicious. You can use milk or dark chocolate, to suit your tastes or mood. Melting wafers are especially easy-to-use, with minimal fuss the wafers ensure a smooth and even melting. I melted mine in the microwave at a reduced power level so it wouldn’t burn, and no tempering is required so it will set up correctly and have that characteristic chocolate sheen.
Candy making can be tricky, but now that I have some basic skills and knowledge under my belt, I will be whipping these candies up as gifts around Christmas time for friends and family, I think they will be pleasantly surprised, or not if they read my blog .
So excited to try making this at home finally. It’s so expensive. Only thing I’ll say is Buffalo is Western NY. Not Upstate 😌
Mine can out chewy, not the melt in you mouth kind that you get here in Buffalo candy stores.
This looks great. I’ve never tried the gelatin in it. Next batch that’s what I’m adding.
Don’t waste The ‘crumbs”. Take what’s left from breaking up into larger pieces…. mix with some melted choc and drop spoons full on parchment….Great crunchy piece of candy!
I’ve made this candy before, with great success. But not for a few years. Today I’m making it in the candy is exceedingly light in color, there’s no caramel tone to it at all. Just wondering if there’s something I’m doing wrong or if my thermometer is off or if you have any ideas.
This is the closest I’ve gotten to the kind of sponge candy I want, but ours turned out far too deflated and hard. It barely fluffed up after adding the baking soda- not sure what we did wrong, we followed the instructions to the letter.
It sounds like you might have been using old baking soda. Check the expiration or best by date on your baking soda as it might be past it most effective date. Try it with a fresh container of baking soda and see if that makes a difference.
We have tried these recipes and the sponge always turns our rock hard, help
It looks like a few others have had the same issue including myself. I have made this before and right away I realize the problem is near the end letting the sugar rest 2 mins before adding the gelatin and then baking soda. The sugar syrup needs to be at a high temp (300°F) when you add the baking soda to create that reaction.
Whisk in at that temp and see how it goes. Good luck!
Is there a way to substitute the gelatin and have a successful recipe outcome?? I have a pork allergy and have noticed that most gelatin is either bovine or swine (pig) it explains some food intolerances that use gelatin … would agar agar have the same effect as gelatin?
Buy Kosher (fish based) or Halal (I think also fish, but maybe beef? Check the package.) gelatin.
I tried making this recipe and failed at it. When I added the gelatin I didn’t get the foaming up.
Where did I go wrong?
If you are a native of Wisconsin this candy is called Fairy Food
My Mom’s family is from Buffalo and growing up In a large Italian Family.we we’re always “seen n not heard”.but I remember watching my mom n grandma n aunties make ‘Honey Comb’.im 67 yrs old n I made so many batches n it just didn’t have that taste! But I found it in this recipe.Thank you .I’m putting your recipe in the “Box” for my kids. N showing my daughter this weekend the right way to keep the family recipes going for many years to come
Thank You
Jackie Whitlock
Ok, I’m 66 years young and here in the NW we call this seafoam. For as long as I can remember this has always been my FAVORITE candy. I can’t tell you how many recipes I have tried and failed at trying to recreate it at home. I just tried yours and OMG for the first time I have produced perfect seafoam!!!! I am in shock and awe!!!! THANK YOU it has the tight cell structure I wanted.
I did add some vanilla to it just because I’ve seen that in so many other recipes.
Also Love food, seafoam or sponge candy
Have been looking for sponge candy recipes for ages. Thank you your hard work to figure this recipe out. I was raised with sponge candy in my Easter basket. My last trip to Buffalo included a stop at a candy shop to buy a couple pounds for friends in my new home state New Hampshire. Looking forward to making this soon! It is, after all, Lent.
Ooooh. Can’t wait to try this. Ever since I tried it the first time, it’s always been my fave. And I can tell just from looking at your pictures that this is probably the *perfect* texture!
Close enough to the Australian version, my childhood favorite…loving it! First batch was a success, and looking forward to improving my technique for the next batch. Thanks for sharing!
Hello,
I was a bit disappointed to find you had not listed Platter’s Chocolate Compay in North Tonawanda New York when talking about sponge candy. I grew up there and remember when they started their candy store in the basement of their house. It’s the best songe candy I have ever eaten. I’m going to give your recipe a try. Hopefully all oes well. If not I’ll have to place an order from Platter`s!
@Elissa, omg best orange chocolate ever!!!!! Platters is for sure the best chocolate factory/ ice cream place in nys.
@Elissa, lived in WNY (Buffalo, Tonawanda, and Grand Island) and never heard of Platter’s. Everyone I knew always got theirs from Fowler’s or Tops bulk candy. My aunt always sends some to my mother for the holidays and her birthday, but she’s not feeling up to it this year and I’m not paying the insane prices they want to ship it here. So here goes nothing!
How could you live in Tonawanda, Grand Island and not heard of Platters? It is only the most famous candy store in all of Buffalo! They are located in the Wurlitzer Building on Niagara Falls Blvd in North Tonawanda!
So I tried this recipe and I was so excited it might be like my favorite candy bar from Australia called Violet Crumble. It was not. I’m wondering if I did something wrong. I was expecting it to be more like a sponge but it was hard. The flavor was spot on though. I even watched the video. Is it possible that I overcooked it?
@Denise Ritchie,
It’s supposed to be hard.
I can’t thank you enough for working on and posting this recipe. I grew up near Milwaukee, WI and it was always available during the holidays. I life in FL now 🙁 so would have to get it shipped. But considering we’ve set record high temperatures the last two days, I worry about shipping it. And the store I always used to purchase the candy now has smaller bags that are over twice the price I used to pay.
I haven’t ever made candy either, but feel confident that I can do this. The video especially helps since I was thinking of making this in a large sauce pan. I’ve used Pam’s cooking/flour spray before on bundt recipes, so may try that to make my first batch.
I’m so excited to try this! And thanks again!
@Heather, I live in Florida, too, and used to work at a store called Kilwin’s (Michigan-based franchise) which sold this (they call it Seafoam). There are Kilwin’s ALL OVER Florida, so maybe do a search to see if there’s one near you. I’m happy to find this recipe because it’s my favorite thing they sell. But it comes at a pricey $15 for something like a 10oz bag—which is insane. So now I’ll just start making my own lol!
A silicone pan makes removal effortless. Works has them a few times a year.
@Sheila, Aldis not works. Darn autocorrect
Hi this is one of the best recipes I’ve found yet
When making it I find the candy itself is to sticky like in the it is not the crunchiness of sponge candy.
Any tips for what may help? Thanks
@Rachel,
If the humidity is to high the candy is very sticky and chewy
Hi! Is gelatin a must? Or is there another substitute I can use? Would love to try and veganize this recipe. Thanks!
@KC, You don’t have to use the Gelatin (1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup or golden syrup
1 Tablespoon baking soda) cook to 300F, rather than taking off the stove to let it cool just add the baking soda stir till baking soda is incorporated then poor into pan dont spread just let it settle.
love your site! Lots of recipes and tips. Being from Buffalo, I think there might be a couple names that need to be corrected. Buffalo is called Western NY. Also, having purchased many boxes of candy from Fowler’s and Park Candy, it’s simply called Sponge Candy. Perhaps it can be found with a different name, but I’ve not seen it.
Thank you for all your time and energy!
Thank you for your kind words about my site!
I have included the origin of most of the regional recipes here in the name of the recipe to help readers easily identify where they are traditionally served. Some of New York’s regional dishes can be pretty obscure and may be unfamiliar to readers in other parts of New York. Adding the location where the recipe is particularly popular is a simple way for me to easily and clearly provide context to readers who are searching through my recipe archives, or looking for a hometown favorite.
@Jennifer Morrisey, grew up on this stuff. I drive an hour every Easter to get this in Erie, PA. Your recipe looks great, will give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Wow 3rd time making it and I left it in the burner longer and it kept expanding. Can’t wait to try this during the Bills game tonight. Wish I could assumed a picture! Buffalo girl and this is much better than what we can but at the grocery stores. If I could master getting the chocolate thinner it would be like Fowlers.
@Sheila, add a bit of Crisco to your chocolate.
making a double batch seems to help increase the success of making sponge candy per an old friend.. she also uses 300 degrees but has a diff recipe without the water and gelatin
@Sandy, she has the one with baking soda and vinegar. This one is similar to fowler chocolates recipe
Question I wanted to make this for Thanksgiving to use with a chocolate fountain. Have a vegan family member has anyone tried pectin or agar in lieu of gelatin? Not sure I’ll have time to experiment so figured I would see if anyone else had with vegan substitute for gelatin. Thank you!
@Jan, I have the same question. From what I can gather, you can just leave it out. The result will be bigger bubbles. With gelatine = sponge toffee. Without gelatine = honeycomb. One day I might try it with agar agar to see what happens!
that isn’t very foamy sponge. Much too hard for what you get in Buffalo NY
When I was a little girl in Quincy, Illinois, we had a giant many-storied
JC Penney’s downtown. Front and center was a huge candy counter with
everything imaginable! I so remember the chocolate dipped sponge candy-
what a treat! We only got it at Christmastime- and boy how I looked forward
to that day! My Grandmother said it gave us something to look forward to.
We all still need something to look forward to-in my humble opinion…
The first time I made this…the temp got away from me and went to 320°. I was a little crisper but good!
Just poured out another batch and cooked to 310° and then saw he comment 292° is what a shop uses. Next time I will do that.
Soak your pan in hot water…cleans up quickly!
Those crumbles when you cut it?…..mix them in chocolate and have little patties! So awesomely wonderful!
When cooking, there doesn’t seem to be enough liquid for the thermometer to read correctly. Any suggestions? Thanks
@Christy, I use my largest saucepan and it works
The recipe that you have is very close to what we use for our store if not exact,but for ours we cook our temperature the 292 and if it’s raining out or high humidity the sponge won’t rise
@Pedro Robles, wow! Thank you! That temp is important! I just saw this after making my 2nd batch. 3rd time I will try lower temp!
@Pedro Robles, I made three batches of just sugar and corn syrup “sea foam” so larger bubbles. I really want the true sponge candy small bubble candy. I learned quite a bit doing the three batches of sea foam and first two browned too much but the last one was real good. I felt I had a decent feel for it. I tried this recipe and I only got a taffy like consistency.
So maybe I didn’t whisk the gelatin enough?
Also I didn’t want to swirl the pan too much as it was heating but I had two thermometers and when the center hit 310 it looks like the outside (very very outside almost hitting the side of the pan) was 260. But the very outside was never bubbling. I’m heating induction and the burner covers the entire pan. I used a pretty wide pan and the mixture was only half an inch thick if that.
Also I felt the 2 minute cool down seemed like too much. Maybe because when combined the mixture was never hot enough to begin with which i believe would explain the taffy consistency.
Also how long does it take for the gelatin to bloom and should it look a certain way?
I made your recipe and was so excited as it looked perfect as it hit the pan. But then still after few 5 hours it was one big blob of toffee. Tasted good but not sponge candy. When you whip after adding gelatin and baking soda how long do you whip it for? I probably didn’t whip it enough but there was no indication of how long. Please share some advice. Thanks.
@Jeanette Dennis Eddery, 60 second whip the gelatin then whip the baking soda but also humidity and temperature will change sponge candy
@Jeanette Dennis Eddery, this happened to me the first time I tried making this candy. Did you happen to use a copper pan?
I tried a different recipe without gelatin and ended up with toffee bark. This recipe was great! I slowly in creased the stove temperature to get the boil temperature to 310 without burning it.
How do you wash your pots? The pot I made this in and the spoon have the sponge stuck to them like concrete. It’s been soaking for hours. Any tips?
@Sue Allen, hot steamy water.
I made this candy for the second time today. I followed the directions and both times it came out hard. It was no where near what sponge candy is. It almost looked like it was cooked too long. I cooked it Till it reached 310 on my candy therometer. What can I be doing wrong?? The very first time I ever made this was about eight year ago and it was great! I had no trouble with it.
@Genevieve Simpson,
@Genevieve Simpson, Do you live at high altitude? I’m at about 3400ft and have to adjust the temp down when candy making.
310°F is higher than another recipe I use (300°F). I’d suggest cooking to a lower temperature to see if that fixes your issues.
Although I used medium heat, my sugar mixture burned before it ever got to 310. Was my pan too large or the fire too low?? It took forever for it to reach 310. Would a higher heat bring it to temperature faster and avoid the burn or would it just burn it faster? Sounds like a great recipe, but it was a total failure. I obviously am NOT a candy maker!
@Felicia Winters,
Why gelatin? What does it do for the sponge toffee?!
Can wait To try this
@Josie, gelatin is a protein, so when mixed with the other ingredients the CO2 bubbles freed from adding in the baking soda won’t be able to stretch as far because the coiled gelatin molecules are more resistant to expansion, yielding a finer grained bubble texture.
We make sponge candy in our southern Michigan candy store. Our recipe uses molasses for flavor. I have been looking for a recipe that uses gelatin. How could I use molasses in this recipe? In our recipe, we add the molasses at the end when it reaches the proper temp but before the baking soda. Any suggestions?
I remember this from when I was younger growing up in Michigan, where it is most definitely known as “Sea foam”! Meijer’s stores used to sell it in the bulk candy section. I found it 2 years ago at Trader Joe’s! I bought like 10 boxes of it! Alas, I found out this past fall they have discontinued selling it! I was so sad. I just tried your recipe and……….it is so awesome! It tastes just like any store-bought and maybe even better! I used an 8″ x 8″ pan instead of the 9 by 9, so it was definitely a little thicker than normal! I had a hard time figuring out how to cut it up until I used a flat head screwdriver and a hammer! Worked perfectly! Thanks again for making this sea foam fan’s day (and week…..and month…..and year!)
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this recipe! I have very limited candy making experience and this turned out on the first try! I agree with others that the outside bits are a little harder to bite into and get a little tacky as you chew them, but honestly it still tastes good, and I thought the texture of the middle of the batch was perfect, especially for homemade. Sponge candy is such a unique treat and I’m so excited to be able to make this recipe for friends and family, both those who have had sponge candy before and those who never have!
So glad I found your blog!! I hope you keep posting WNY/upstate NY recipes..I so miss the food there since I have moved away
I am VERY excited to give this recipe a try! I moved from Buffalo nearly 30 years ago. About once a year I go back and make sure to visit Antoinette’s or Watsons to get my sponge candy fix!
@Jessica Moianster, Antoinette’s yes thanks. I’m making this in 2 days
Can sponge candy be frozen- if so, for how long? Going to Fl. for 6 months and would like to take some along. OR, has the candy a long shelf life? Thanks
I tried making this but I was worried about how long it took to hit 310. How long does it take to reach 310 degrees? It seems like it takes forever! How much reduction in the sugar/syrup mixture is there? I’m going to try it again, as I don’t think this one is going to turn out. I only got it to 250 degrees because I was worried it was going to all be gone before it hit 350.
Thanks,
@Sach Huttemann, I would not recommend freezing it. I am sure the process would make the nice light crispy sponge damp and gooey.
@Sach Huttemann,I moved from Buffalo in ’79 and used to have family mail sponge candy to me…and then froze it. If it is packaged well enough (I overwrapped the plastic with foil), it worked terrific – no ill effects!
Sponge candy does not like humidity, and it’s best in the few days after it’s made. Some WNY candy shops don’t make it during the summer months.
I just made this recipe tonight and I’ll have to see how it turns out in the morning. Before I knew it I was spreading the mixture in the pan (crying inside) I googled what happens when you do that and I couldn’t find anything. I also found myself breaking off pieces as it dried… so much for not disturbing it. The only thing I’m worried about is the hard, chewy texture that everyone else seems to be struggling with.
I am from the St. Louis area and I believe this is called molasses puffs in this area. I had made this once but I think that I used vinegar at the end and yes it did bubble up very high and you had to be quick to pour it in your 9×13 pan. The end results were good though. I am going to have to try your recipe. Thank you for posting it.
Years ago there was a candy that was called violet, (I think). It was like this, only it was a lavender color. Could this be the same recipe? Can flavoring or color be added?
it’s called violet crumble and is made in australia. the best candy ever
I just started following you on Pinterest.
my email is
midnight0675@frontier.com
Hi Heather, Thanks for stopping by!
I love Pinterest, and checked out your Pinterest boards and they are amazing!
Could this be the recipe I am looking for?? Have tried many, but unable to create the perfect sponge toffee as pictured above….
You think white corn syrup would be ok to use???
Thank you for this recipe, I couldn’t find any recipes that told you how to make actual chocolate dipped sponge candy, it just had peanut brittle 🙂 can’t wait to try it!
When we traveled to Buffalo last year everyone told me I needed to try sponge candy, which I had never heard of. I brought a box home for the kiddos and when we opened it, we all said, “Oh, it’s honeycomb candy!” We can’t usually get it in Tennessee, so I’m eager to try out this recipe.
Honeycomb is harder, at least in the northeast it is, this is melty in mouth.
Hi- I’m trying to make this candy but am having varied results. The first time it cam out perfect: very light. But my next two attempts resulted in a more dense mixture, leaving it very crunchy and it sticks to my teeth. I’m using a recipe that just has sugar, corn syrup, vinegar, and baking soda. I’m wondering what the gelatin and water does to the recipe that might give me different results than my last two attempts. -Thank you
@Steve Smothers,
My kids just introduced me to sponge candy – the number 1 seller at Maxwell’s, a little farmhouse Mom & Pop candy and Christmas fruit place only open from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It’s just south of Mt. Pleasant, IA. I’ve never tasted anything quite like it! The owner of Maxwells says people either hate it or totally love it, no in between, and I believe her. I’m looking forward to giving this a try.
I live in Burlington Iowa and have never heard of this place. Can i get a more detailed location pleasse??
as a kid growing up in south central wisconsin we always referred this as ‘angel food candy’ and used to buy it in plastic bags . i have made this several times and mailed it to my siblings as it is hard to find. i like the recipe with the Karo Dark Syrup and use the baking soda. alot faster to make and just as delicious. most recipes call for an 8×8 but i prefer to use a 9×9 or 9×13
@John Trosper, I grew up in central Wisconsin as well and also knew it as ‘angel food candy’. The (very) small grocery store in my hometown used to get it shipped to the store in large plastic bags inside carboard boxes that they cut open, slapped a metal scoop in for you to pull out the amount you wanted to buy, and didn’t mind if people sampled without paying (says a lot about how times have changed). They also had a TON of bulk Brach’s candies for sale — from chocolate covered peanuts and raisins, to nonpareils, chocolate peanut clusters, hard sucking candies, and more. Over the years, Brach’s has cut corners with the quality of their chocolate and it no longer tastes the same. My older brother makes his own angel food candy but uses a recipe (I asked him which one last night and he couldn’t recall where he found it online!) that doesn’t use gelatin.
Thank you for having this recipe. I am originally from
Lancaster, NY. And we had a candy store in that town
And when I was a little girl my dad bought a couple of boxes of sponge candy. I loved the milk chocolate sponge candy.
We moved from there to Orange County Virginia in 1989
The five months after that on February 1, 1990 our dad past away. So no more sponge candy. I married a good man
And we lived in culpeper, VA for a few years and at the end of
2013 him and I along with our pets moved to Elkins , WV.
But I still have the memories of upstate New York milk chocolate sponge candy. And I thank you again from one Upstate New Yorker to another ,( I still identify. With my Buffalo Region of New York State roots ) having
This Buffalo, NY sponge candy recipe. I will be pinning this on my Pinterest cooking board. And using it.
I was born in Buffalo but now live in Illinois. The only time I get sponge candy is when I can afford to go home to visit or have family send some to me. I am excited to try this…a bit nervous too lol I’ve never made candy before. I bought everything I need. Not sure when I will try it. Maybe tomorrow evening or friday. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Hi! A suggeston to try for the leftover crumbles:
Stir crumbles into leftover dipping chocolate and drop by teaspoon onto parchment paper. Let stand or chill to solidify. Mylitta
That is a great idea, thank you Mylitta!
I used your recipe tonight and it came out as expected. Accept I used dark corn syrup and I think it gave it a weird taste. Will try again with the light syrup. The consistency was perfect and airy. Thank you!
I am so glad to hear the recipe worked for you!!
I think you may be right about the dark corn syrup, it does have a stronger flavor that may be coming through in the finished candy, let me know how it goes with the light corn syrup!
Your recipe is by far the best I’ve found to get the light and airy effect of sponge toffee! I still however found mine to be a bit more on the crunchy chewy side rather than the light and airy side, almost powder like?!? Could it be the humidity in my house? We live in Florida, but I do try to keep the humidity inside low with low temps!! I use a cast iron pot and followed your directions outside of taking it off the heat at 300 instead of 310 because it was starting to smell on the burnt side. Any help would be appreciated!!
Hi Leslie,
I am glad to hear you had success with this recipe! I think that the reason our homemade sponge candy seems “chewy” when compared to candy made by confectioners is due to the fact that we are making a very scaled down version. I have included a link to a video of Watson’s candy maker making sponge candy below, he mentions a few times that they do not use any of the outside edges in their candy, and only use the lighter interior section. I think the outside is more exposed to humidity, but it also condenses a little giving the candy that chewier texture. I am not sure the size that the batch would need to be scaled up to would be practical to make in a home kitchen, and I am also very curious what the candy makers do with the exterior part of the candy, they don’t mention that in the video ???
https://youtu.be/-6uynDLSaSk?t=1m4s
Ok I had wondered about that also or perhaps they use more gelatin? I will keep at it and try some larger batches but yes I’m totally happy with your recipe and am so thankful I found it!!! I love this candy so much and unfortunately our grocery store no longer carries it so if I can make it from scratch it’s a win win!!☺ Thanks again!!
I also noticed mine was a smudge darker due to the use of a darker organic cane sugar! I’m going to try the white stuff tomorrow and see if I get that nice buttery brown color!
*smidge
I went on a tour of Platters today and they explained that they throw the outside away because they haven’t been able to find anything to use it for
Thank you, Crystal!
It would be difficult to repurpose the outer edges of the candy, it really doesn’t hold up well, or have much of a shelf life when it is uncoated.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m from a little town South of Buffalo and had always LOVED Sponge Candy! Still miss it. Will def try your recipe for my go-to Christmas candy this year!!
This has been a family recipe of our family as long as I can remember. We’ve always used the crumbs and outside for either icecream topping, mixed it into cookie dough or mixed it into the left over chocolate to make crumb bars out of, making sure of 100% coverage. Grandma used to throw it into coffee cans and froze it. If we made the honeycomb version (doesn’t have gelatin) we would throwing a little of those leftovers in our coffee as sweetener. (fantastic) To be honest, I’ve never tried sponge candy in my coffee simply because of the gelatin, but I may just have to try it next time.
Made this today without the gelatin. Turned out amazing and airy. Used a candy thermometer. Very easy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
I am so glad it turned out so well for you!
That looks a lot like the “Fool’s Gold” candy they sell at Silver Dollar City in Branson. I’ve searched online for a recipe, but everything I found said it was just peanut brittle without the peanuts. You can tell just by looking that it’s not exactly the same thing because peanut brittle doesn’t have that same texture, is thinner, and it is generally a little darker in color. Mystery Solved, thanks!
This sponge candy looks perfectly mouthwatering and your post is so well written, photographed and informative as well. By the grace of God I don’t make candy often, but this would be an excellent place for me to start. Thanks for the wonderful post.
I am SOOO excited to try this!! I grew up in Kenmore but have lived on Long Island for 20 years so I don’t get sponge candy from Watsons or Fowlers unless my parents bring me some. Thank you for investing in all those ingredients and baking pans!!
I actually enjoyed the process! I learned A LOT 🙂 You will have to come back and tell me what you think when you make it!