How to make honeycomb at home

Honeycomb, or cinder toffee, isn’t difficult to make, but it reveals the complex science of turning sugar into a confection. Sam Wong

Along Sam Wong

Honeycomb, or cinder toffee, is easy to make, but it’s a perfect example of the complex science of turning sugar into confectionery.

The process begins by heating sugar and water. Pure water boils at 100°C (212°F), while sugar solutions have higher boiling points. When the solution boils, the water evaporates, but the sugar remains, making it thicker and raising the boiling point even further.At 170°C (338°F), the sugar begins to caramelize. Molecules break apart and recombine, turning brown and producing delicious flavor molecules.

Measuring the temperature of boiling sugar…