Angel Food Candy aka Sponge Candy Recipe

Angel food candy, as it is known here in Wisconsin, actually goes by many other names. Among them, 'sponge candy,' which is what it is called in Buffalo, NY, where it supposedly originated.

Whoever thought it up was brilliant...and persistent. Although it's one of my favorite candies, it is known for being temperamental, so I'd never tried making it before. Actually, putting the ingredients together is very simple. BUT, the weather has to cooperate. I think you need to have high-pressure weather conditions for this to be successful. Mine did not rise as high as I wanted it to, but it still is porous and delicious. Give it a try!

Angel Food Candy*, Recipe:
recipe originally from cookingwithdoyle.com, with some additions and omissions

2 T. melted butter
1 c. Dark Corn Syrup
1 c. granulated sugar
1 T. cider vinegar
1 T. baking soda
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1 T. shortening

Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil. Brush with melted butter and set aside.
In a large pot, mix corn syrup, sugar, and vinegar. Cook on stove top over high heat until it reaches hard crack stage, 300 degrees F. DO NOT STIR. (Actually, I cooked it on med-medhi heat. I was a little afraid of scorching the sugar).

As soon as the temperature reaches 300 degrees, stir in the baking soda, mixing quickly. DON'T bang the pan around too much. This needs to be light and airy. Think 'souffle.'

Pour this mixture into the foil-lined pan. DO NOT SPREAD IT. Let it rise, and leave it alone while it cools to room temperature.

When cool, remove it from the foil and break it apart into pieces.

Mix chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler OR as I did, put one small pan on top of another, with water in the bottom pan. Heat over med-hi heat and stir chocolate mixture until completely melted. 

Dip candy pieces into chocolate and set aside on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill to set chocolate. Serve.

* And, this little bit of information from spongecandy.com in Buffalo, NY:

Other names for Sponge Candy are:

Sponge Toffee (Canada)

Cinder Toffee (Great Britain)

Sea Foam (Oregon, California, Michigan)

Honeycomb (Australia)

Puff Candy (Scotland)

Hokey Pokey (New Zealand)

Fairy Food (Wisconsin, Chicago)

Angel Food (Wisconsin)

Cinder Block (???)

Molasses Puffs (St. Louis)

Gingerbread (New Hampshire)

Wherever you're from, I bet you'll enjoy this candy. You might want to hide it 'til Christmas. ;-)

This post is linked to: Amaze Me Monday and Skip to My Lou and What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and Making Monday Marvelous and Made from Scratch Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and Overflowing With Creativity and What's Cookin' Wednesday and We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog and Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Home and Family Friday

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