Bee Keepers Delight
Servings: makes 350g
Level of difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
320g caster sugar
50g Honey
130g liquid glucose
60ml water
15g Bicarbonate of soda
To serve
chocolate cone
paper bees, drawn
Method
1. Heat the caster sugar, honey, glucose and water in a large heavy-based saucepan on a moderate heat and simmer until it reaches a light golden colour.
2. Add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk in immediately - take particular caution at this point as the mixture trebles its volume.
3. Remove from heat and pour straight onto a Teflon sheet. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes until brittle. Break into bite size chunks and keep in an airtight container until needed.
4. To serve, arrange the crisp honeycomb on a plate and decorate with the chocolate cone and paper bees.
Honeycomb Toffee
Servings: Makes 450g
Level of difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
500g granulated sugar
300ml water
4 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
Method
1. Butter or oil a tin measuring 30 x 10cm.
2. Place the sugar, water and vinegar into a deep heavy based saucepan, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Bring the mixture to boiling point and then boil gently to a soft crack temperature, this will be 141°C on a jam thermometer.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda. Stir carefully but thoroughly - the mixture will rise up and foam and will be very hot.
5. When almost set, mark out squares with a knife. This will make it a lot easier to break up when properly set.
6. Store in an airtight container between sheets of greaseproof paper in a dry place.
and to finish
Slow-cooked Honeycomb Tripe with Fresh Green Peas
Servings: 4-6
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
main]
125ml white wine vinegar
3 litres water
1kg honeycomb tripe, roughly sliced
5 small plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
10 garlic clove, peeled
4-5 tsp sea salt
115g Palm sugar
250ml extra virgin olive oil
1 small baby fennel bulb, finely sliced
12 small salad onions, trimmed, but with 2cm green stem left intact
1 small stick of celery, sliced on the diagonal
200g smoked bacon bones, sliced
250ml White wine
100ml chardonnay vinegar
750ml chicken stock
4 small green apples, peeled and roughly chopped
500g peas in their pods, podded
4 tsp red wine vinegar
Method
1. Bring the water and vinegar to the boil in a large pan.
2. Reduce the heat, add in the tripe and simmer gently, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Drain the tripe, refresh under cold water, drain again and slice finely.
4. Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, gently press tomatoes until they are slightly bruised and have released their juices; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
5. Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt to the mortar and pestle and pound into a rough paste. Set aside.
6. Place the palm sugar and water in a medium-sized frying pan and stir over a low heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved.
7. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, without stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until mixture turns light caramel in colour. (The caramel is ready when a spoonful dropped into a cup of cold water can be moulded into a soft ball with the fingers.)
8. Heat the olive oil in a lidded heavy-based frying pan, add in the garlic tomato paste and fry for 1 minute, or until aromatic.
9. Stir in the fennel, onions, celery, bacon bones and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
10. Add the sliced tripe and stir to combine. Pour in caramel mixture and tomatoes and stir well to coat tripe in the caramel.
11. Add the white wine and 80ml of chardonnay vinegar and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half.
12. Pour in the Chicken Stock, cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
13. Stir in apples and cook, covered, for a further 25 minutes, or until the tripe is tender.
14. Remove the lid, stir in the peas and simmer, uncovered, for about 6 minutes, or until peas are just tender.
15. Remove from stove and stir in the remaining salt (if required) and chardonnay vinegar and the red wine vinegar. Serve.
Cooks Notes:
Palm sugar can be found in Chinese or Thai foodstores. If unavailable, substitute dark brown sugar.
