Yorkshire Bonfire Toffee (also known as treacle toffee, Plot toffee or Tom Trot) is a hard brittle toffee associated with Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night. It tastes strongly of molasses or black treacle and easy to make at home.
I think it is wise to make with a sugar thermometer since you can be assured of the brittle texture that comes with the hard-crack stage of cooking but it isn’t essential – patience is! The traditional version is hard, shiny and brittle but if you want a softer, chewier version (and have good strong teeth) then boil to the soft-crack stage.
Tip 1
Do take enormous care when preparing this toffee – the sugar syrup becomes extremely hot. It’s not a recipe for children to make although they can certainly help with measuring out the ingredients.
Tip 2
Cleaning the pan and the thermometer is made so much easier if you fill the pan with hot water and immerse the thermometer in it as soon after cooking as possible. Leave to stand for a while before washing in warm soapy water.
No sugar thermometer?
It is possible to make this toffee without a sugar thermometer but you will need to check that the correct stage and temperature has been reached. This is easiest done if you drop just a small amount of the cooked mixture into a bowl of iced water. When it cools (which is quickly) lift it out and bend it. If it snaps easily then the hard crack stage has been reached. If it bends into pliable strands then the soft crack stage has been achieved.
Makes about 500g
Ingredients
- Oil for greasing
- 450g dark brown sugar
- 125 ml hot water
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 115g black treacle
- 115g golden syrup
Method
Line the base and sides of a 30 x 21 cm shallow tin with non-stick parchment and then liberally grease with oil.
Place the sugar and hot water in a heavy-based pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Don’t stir the sugar at any time just tile the pan from time to time to mix and move around.
Add the cream of tartar, treacle and syrup. Again tilt to mix but do not stir. At this stage add the sugar thermometer if using.
Bring to the boil and boil until you reach the hard-crack stage on the thermometer (149 C/300 F). This will produce a brittle toffee typical of that from Yorkshire. If you prefer something softer and chewier then boil until you reach the soft crack stage (140 C/279 F). This may take from 30 to 45 minutes so you need to be patient but do not leave the pan unattended as things can change quickly. When the desired stage is reached, pour into the prepared tin and leave to set.
Once cool, remove from the tin and break into pieces with a toffee hammer or rolling pin. Store in an airtight tin or wrap in cellophane for gifting if liked.
