Sponge (aka Honeycomb) Candy

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon gelatin powder
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Directions

1. Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing it to extend over the edges.
2. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1 teaspoon water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
3. In a medium pot with high sides, combine sugar, honey and ½ cup water. Heat and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a wet pastry brush. Clip on candy thermometer and heat to 300° F. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the pot from the heat and let sit for two minutes, bubbling should subside. At this point, microwave the gelatin for 30 seconds to melt. Add gelatin and whisk it in. Be careful, the sugar syrup will bubble up.
5. Return sugar syrup to the heat and bring temperature back up to 280° F. Sprinkle baking soda over syrup and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The sugar will rise up to the top of the pot, bubbling like crazy. Again, be careful!!
6. Quickly pour the bubbling mixture into prepared pan. Do not spread the mixture, just let it settle into the pan. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.
7. Either break into odd pieces or cut into squares. To cut into squares - using a serrated knife, score the candy at 1-inch intervals. Snap the candy apart at the score lines.
8. Dip sponge candies in tempered chocolate, tap off excess. Chill in the fridge to set the chocolate shell.