Sponge toffee is a sugary confection with a light, rigid, sponge-like texture.

The main ingredients are typically brown sugar, corn syrup (or molasses) and baking soda, sometimes with an acid such as vinegar. The baking soda and acid react to form carbon dioxide which is trapped in the highly viscous mixture. When acid is not used, thermal decomposition of the baking soda releases carbon dioxide. The lattice structure is formed while the sugar is liquid, then the toffee sets hard.

It is generally home-made, and a popular recipe for children, but is also made commercially and sold in small blocks, or covered in chocolate (popular examples being the Crunchie or Violet Crumble bar).

Sponge toffee is made with simple and pure ingredients. Sugar, corn syrup, water, baking soda and vanilla is all that's needed to create one of the most luscious candies in the world.

When you think back on Christmases of old, do you recall sponge candy-sometimes called sea foam candy? Covered in luscious chocolate, this candy is a golden caramel color and looks amazingly like a sponge.

Gourmet Sponge Candy Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:
2 ½ cups white sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Use a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Combine the sugar, syrup and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. As the mixture thickens, check often for doneness by dropping a ball of toffee into a glass of cold water. Once the ball separates into threads that harden and snap or break like ice shards, the toffee has reached the hard-crack stage. If using a candy thermometer, the hard-crack stage is reached at 300 degrees. Add the baking soda and vanilla to the syrup immediately. The mixture will nearly double in seconds.

When the mixture turns a golden brown and becomes hard to stir, pour it into a buttered rectangular cake pan. As it cools, it will harden. Crack the sheet of candy into pieces and dip each piece into melted chocolate.

Note: If you cover the candy with chocolate, it will last longer on the shelf, but eventually it will begin to deteriorate. For best results, store sponge toffee in airtight containers.