Sponge Candy

Note: Sponge candy should only be made on cool, dry days. Don’t attempt this on warm or humid days: the candy will just get chewy, but not in a pleasant way. (In other words, Florida is the wrong place for making sponge candy most of the year.)

Line a 9×9‑inch pan with parchment paper, allowing extra paper to hang over the sides. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water and allow to bloom.

In a heavy, medium saucepan with high sides, mix sugar, corn syrup and ½ cup water. Heat over medium heat and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Set a candy thermometer in the saucepan and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 310° F.

Remove from heat and let cool for one minute undisturbed. Return to heat, add gelatin, and stir carefully but quickly: the sugar syrup will bubble up. Before it deflates, sprinkle with the baking soda, and stir vigorously for 30 seconds as the mixture expands.

Quickly pour into prepared pan. Do not spread the mixture: allow it settle on its own. Cool completely (at least 2 hours) before removing from the pan.

Using a serrated knife, score the candy at 1‑inch intervals. Snap the candy apart at the score lines. Then score again cross-wise and break into cubes. Coat each cube completely in tempered chocolate and let dry on a parchment-lined baking sheet.