Treacle Toffee

My earliest memory of cooking – now over 65 years ago  - was a sticky pan, a rich irresistible smell, then breaking the slab into delicious, great, chewy chunks, before filling your mouth with it.

Treacle Toffee, also known as bonfire toffee or crack toffee is a traditional sweet served at Halloween and Guy Fawkes’ night. Alas, my mother’s recipe is long lost but we have experimented and this works. Careful of your teeth! 

Ingredients Makes a 30 x 20cm tray 
60g Butter, plus extra for greasing 
400g Dark Soft Brown Sugar 
2 tablespoons Water
200g Black Treacle

100g Golden Syrup 
1⁄2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar  

Method

• Place the butter in a large heavy-based pan over a low heat. Add the brown sugar and water, but do not stir.

• Once the sugar has fully dissolved, add all the other ingredients, turn up the heat, give it a stir and watch carefully.

• The mixture needs to cook for approximately 20 minutes, steadily rising in temperature. Stir occasionally but don’t over do it or the sugar can crystallize.

• Using a sugar thermometer, take the mixture up to 130°C.

• If you prefer, you can measure the temperature the old fashioned way: have a jug of cold water next to the cooker and dribble a little of the mixture in; the strands of toffee will set instantly. When they are firm but still flexible, the toffee is ready.

• Remove from the heat immediately and pour the mixture into a baking tin lined with baking paper and greased with butter. Take great care; it is very hot and could instantly burn your skin.

• Set aside to cool and harden.

• Turn the toffee out of the tin onto a flat surface, peel off the paper and break into bite-sized chunks.  

• Store in layers on baking paper in an airtight container to avoid the toffee pieces sticking together.