Seattlest’s Answer to Violet Crumble

Seattlest can’t remember when exactly we first tried a Violet Crumble candy bar, but we can say that the experience was formative, like a first paycheck or a first, um, kiss. Around here, the hard-to-find Australian candy bar has a tiny cult following, but sadly not much more. Deliciously crisp and airy and coated in chocolate, the taste of Violet Crumble is unforgettable, but difficult to describe to the uninitiated.

The generic name for the candy center of a Violet Crumble bar is honeycomb. Not to be confused with honeycomb from bees, the candy version is at heart a simple honey-flavored toffee. What distinguishes it from regular toffee is a matter of form: baking soda, added at the very end of the cooking process, creates little air pockets throughout the candy giving it a characteristic honeycomb-like appearance.

Now, we are quite devoted to Violet Crumble, but it being a bit tough to find, and us being a bit weird about knowing how to make everything, we had to do it ourselves. Like cooking jam just until it gels, making candy holds a certain allure in that it is truly a transformative process. Something really happens when you cook it. Granulated sugar becomes molten liquid and then solid again and along the way the taste changes dramatically as it becomes caramel. A-mazing.

Also, candy-making involves a definite boost to your ego. People find it very impressive. Between us, it’s not exactly rocket science, but it is extremely satisfying. For this candy you don’t need much more equipment than a heavy pan. A candy thermometer is nice, but not essential.

For the long-deprived Violet Crumble devotees, or the newly curious, we’ve included a recipe for honeycomb after the break from Gordon Ramsay’s Just Desserts (a lovely pastry book that makes us hate him less for that heinous show). Achingly sweet and utterly delicious, this candy is worth overcoming any candy-making trepidation.

However, if you don’t fancy becoming a bonafide candy-maker, perhaps you might be able to tell us where in this backwater we can find some Violet Crumble.

Honeycomb
makes more honeycomb that you could ever wish for

75 grams honey (1/4 cup)
140 grams light corn syrup or glucose (1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon)
400 grams sugar (2 cups)
20 grams baking soda (3 1/2 teaspoons)

Prepare a sheet pan (preferably with sides) with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil and brush it with a thin coating of butter or oil. If you have a silpat, put that down and forgo the grease. Set aside.

Combine the honey, corn syrup and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan--one large enough to allow the mixture to quadruple in size (which it will do when you add the baking soda at the end). Moisten the mixture with enough water so that there are no dry patches of sugar; then wash down any stray sugar crystals that might be clinging to the side of the pan.

Set the pan on high heat and cook and cook and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 300 F or, if you don’t have a thermometer, until the mixture turns a light amber color. While the mixture is cooking, do NOT stir it at all. Stirring can cause the sugar to seize (one moment it’s fine, one moment it’s hard and crystallized). Don’t worry about it mixing properly, it will do that on its own when it starts to boil.

When the honeycomb is sufficiently cooked, take the pan off the heat. Dump in all of your baking soda and whisk vigorously until it is well combined; while you whisk, the honeycomb will foam up dramatically. After the soda is whisked in, gently pour the mixture out onto a prepared pan and allow to cool completely, about one hour.

Once cool, break into smaller pieces and store in an airtight container. Really, we mean airtight. A rubbermaid wrapped in plastic inside a ziplock freezer bag would be good. (Honeycomb is hygroscopic, meaning that it sucks in moisture from the air, leaving an unprotected initially crisp candy sticky and gooey in a matter of hours.)

Brush teeth immediately after consumption.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Rachael in Food on February 13, 2007 9:24 AM

Comments [rss]

t.in.salem

I followed this recipe to a tea...DO NOT STIR * WHISK* IN THE BAKING SODA...etc etc....turned out just like the $15/lbs candy you would buy in the stores..THX i have tried many a recipes this one worked out perfect.....10 *'s

808jgirl

We grew up calling this 'seafoam'. I'd like to find a recipe that makes tiny bubbles. So often the bubbles come out too large which makes the texture too hard. Maybe more baking soda? Any chemist/cooks out there with advice? Thx!

coleman

I have been looking for this product since i first tried it at jasons deli nearly 8 years ago, and i found a product here in dallas called Crunchie, it's made by cadbury, i think that is a british candy company.... After eating a bite of it- i remember the taste being very similar but the honeycomb seems to have a slightly larger bubble/gap/air hole then the originaly violet crumnch, which to me was a very fine bubble which helped to make the honeycomb rather smooth while still being crunchy- anyways jsut thought i'd share that with everyone.

scott

april

i made this a couple weeks ago and i was surprised it came out soo well.

Sonja

Ummmm-um. It's a favorite! I find them at Haggen Food and Pharmacy...the one located in Barkley Village, Bellingham, Wa. and probably other locations too. I just had one two days ago.

Amy

There are a few chocolate shops in PA that make sponge candy, which is basically the same thing. I've never seen it anywhere but there, but I've made it--even with my middle school students as a lesson in how igneous rocks form! Mmm... sugary geology...

ejane

Markettime in Fremont has them when I haven't hoarded their supply.

Patti

The way to get around the moisture issue? Dip the chunks COMPLETELY in good quality dark chocolate. :)

drrew

Oh, and Redskins too.

drrew

Mmmmm....Australian candy.

Fantales

Cherry Ripe

Minties

Maltesers

Freddo Frogs

Caramello Koala

They were all so good.

Louise

In England we called the Violet Crumble the "Crunchie Bar" as well! And, being the good little ex-pat that I am, I know that you can get Violet Crumbles/Crunchies at the janky ass gas station at the corner of 45th & 11th in the U-District, across from WSECU!

amy

LOVE all Rachael's DIY food posts, even though I am far to lazy to actually attempt them.

kathrine

You can always find them at world market as well.

jamier

Bartell's has them and even QFC has them (at least the one on Broadway)... they're not hard to find at all in Seattle!

ac

Try the Kangaroo & Kiwi pub at 7305 Aurora Ave (near Greenlake). I'm not positive if they have the Violet Crumble, but I know they have the Flake (by Cadbury) and many other varieties!

Jason

When I worked at the HUB Newsstand on the UW campus 10 years ago we stocked it.

jesse

"Crunchie" is the Canadian equivalent. Pretty common around here but it's best to just buy a box for yourself next time your up there.

The best thing in the world is, in fact, a Crunchie Blizzard at Dairy Queen. Conveniently there's a DQ in the west end (vancouver) near Denman and Robson.