Yellowman Sponge Candy

Allow me to introduce my new favorite blog.

Seriously, I love this blog.  I love the woman who writes the blog.  Not in a weird way, just in that intense 'need to be your best friend -slash- want to know all of your culinary secrets' king of way.   It's kind of like when you love Charlie Hunnam, so you instantly love every movie and show he's ever done.  I can't miss an episode of Sons of Anarchy anymore...

Love, in this case, is a hyperbole that means intense adoration.

Now that we've figured that out, let me explain the who and the why.  The blog is called Wilde In The Kitchen.  It is operated by a woman named Vicki and she is a genius!  Not in the figurative sense, but like a real life genius.  An organic chemist, to be exact.  And, her prowess in the lab led her to create the easiest, most fool-proof recipe for Sponge Candy I've ever seen.

See, you would have gotten a recipe of Sponge Candy from me a long time ago, except for the fact I could never get a recipe to work right.  Vicki actually chronicles her failures for you to see, which I'm always way too embarrassed to do.  But, it definitely shows how tricky a pan of Sponge Candy can be. 

In fact, it was that honesty that made me try her recipe.  I'd tried others that came out with a pan of seemingly perfect candy, but when I tried it, I was defeated.  This time, I decided to give her recipe a shot, and it worked!

So, I'm standing 100% behind this version because it worked out so well for me.  I was so hell-bent on making it because it kind of represents two important aspects of my life.  Yellowman candy is a traditional Irish toffee that I've always wanted to make, and when it's dipped in chocolate, it is exactly the way real Buffalo Sponge Candy is supposed to taste.  As an Irish New Yorker, this is a pretty great candy for me to learn how to make!

Thanks Vicki!






Yellowman Sponge Candy
(adapted from Wilde In The Kitchen)

1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp water
1 tbsp baking soda
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cups light corn syrup
½ cup water



Grease and flour and 8x8 baking dish.

In a small bowl, add gelatin and baking soda into 1 tsp water.

Combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.  Using a candy thermometer, bring mixture to a boil and continue cooking until you reach 310F, stirring frequently. 

Add the gelatin and baking soda mixture.  Return to heat and cook an additional 30 seconds, careful of rising and spitting sugar.

Pour into baking dish.  Let cool completely before cutting into pieces.  Dip in melted chocolate if desired.