BONFIRE NIGHT FOOD – DELICIOUS SWEET TREATS

As Bonfire Night is fast on the approach, this year will be a little different as many who usually pop along to the local organised display, will find that it has been cancelled. So, as well as entertaining your family and friends, they will need to be fed. So whether you plan to hold your own party, or indeed are going to join others for Bonfire Night, here are some delicious recipes for sweet treats which are easy to make and above all, truly scrumptious!

CINDER TOFFEE

Often called honeycomb or hokey pokey, this sweet treat is an old favourite and aptly named for Bonfire Night.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of honey

4 tablespoons of golden syrup

200 gms of caster sugar

4 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda

400 gm of milk or plain chocolate (depending on your personal preference)

You will need an oversized pan (whilst the boiled sugar mixture will only cover the bottom of the pan, once the bicarbonate of soda is added, it will expand exponentially so it has to be a decent size) 2 large metal or silicone trays (as least half an inch deep) and a sugar thermometer (optional but it does make the job easier) wooden spoon

Method

Put the sugar, honey, and golden syrup in the pan. Give it a good stir BEFORE you put onto the hob as it will spoil it once it has started heating up. Bring up to 145° (you can shake the pan but do not stir) and remove from the heat (if you do not have a sugar thermometer, keep the heat lower until all the sugar grains have dissolved then bring up the heat and leave until the mixture is a light amber colour). Remove from the heat and immediately add the bicarbonate of soda, mixing constantly to ensure that the bicarb has dissolved fully, and it should immediately start foaming up. Pour into the two trays (as evenly as you can without pausing) and leave it to cool. This will take around an hour as boiled sugar reaches incredibly high temperatures.

Once it is fully cooled, break into pieces.

Break up the chocolate into pieces into a microwaveable bowl and turn on to half power and heat in 10 second intervals, stirring thoroughly between each ‘warming’ until it is around 2/3 melted then just keep stirring until the chocolate is fully liquid. Take a piece of honeycomb and dip into the chocolate before putting onto a tray to cool.  Keep repeating until all the pieces of cinder toffee are half covered in chocolate and leave to set. Delicious.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES (makes 24 big cookies)

Dearie me, these are absolutely yummy.

Ingredients

350gm Unsalted butter

300gm caster sugar

Finely grated zest of two oranges

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

100gm ground almonds

100gm plain chocolate chips

100gm white chocolate chips

450gm Self Raising Flour

Method

Pre-heat the oven to Gas 5/190°/170° fan

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes pale

Add the SR Flour, orange zest, egg yolks, almonds, chocolate chips and stir until you have a very firm dough consistency.

Divide the cookie dough into 24 equal sized balls

Put onto a couple of lightly greased baking sheet well-spaced (this part may need to be done in batches as they need room to spread) leaving plenty of room between each ball. Flatten each one slightly and bake for around 10 minutes until golden brown. 

NO BAKE DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE DESERT

This desert is absolutely delicious (and Moorish so make sure you have plenty of people to eat it as it is very very rich).

Ingredients

1 pack plain chocolate biscuits

8 oz unsalted butter

5 tablespoons of sugar

1 pint double cream (1 large carton)

12 oz plain chocolate (broken up into smaller pieces)

Cocoa powder to dust

You will need a 9 inch Spring form tin

Break up the biscuits into a fine crumb (this can be done either by hand by popping into a plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin – this is a very satisfying thing to take out any frustrations on! Or blitz in a food processor. 

Melt the butter in a pan and once liquid, remove from the heat and add the biscuit crumbs and sugar and pour the mixture into the bottom of the tin and press it down. Pop into the fridge to set.

Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat until it is on the verge of boiling and remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted then use an electric whisk and beat until it is rich, thick and glossy (usually about 5 minutes) and then pour the chocolate mixture into the cooled biscuit base and return it to the fridge to set for around 2 hours.

Dust with cocoa powder before service.

Enjoy!