I used to get this in Moscow from the hard currency stores, where we got stuff from all over Europe, and there was all sorts of British candy-- it’s where I first found Cadbury chocolate, too.
Anyway, later, in the US, I discovered one store that sold Callard and Bowser treacle toffee, which was the best I’ve ever tasted, but I understand the company is defunct.
So, now I’m starting to look for things to put in my Purim gift baskets (a Jewish holiday on March 5 this year), and I want some new things after using the same candies a few years in a row. I searched Amazon UK, and found only chewy treacle candy individually wrapped in big bags. But, there were also big blocks of it that you are supposed to hit with a hammer, and then eat the shards.
I’ve made toffees before, so I got to thinking that maybe I could make this. Anyone here make their own, and want to share a recipe? or tips to help it turn out well? I already own a candy thermometer. I’ve made other kinds of hard candy with molds. They are silicon, and I spray them down with a non-stick cooking spray: the candy pops right out. Would this work with treacle, or is it really stickier than other toffees? The recipes online seemed to imply it was, but maybe that was mostly addressed to inexperienced cooks, who didn’t realize that any toffee would make a sticky mess no matter how careful you are.
I haven’t tried making it myself, though the recipes online look easy enough, especially as you have experience with candy making. Where do you find treacle in the US though? I’ve never seen it there - just molasses, which is similar but less bitter.
Many U.S. homebrew shops sell Lyle’s Black Treacle (it’s used to make stouts and porters, as well as other English-style dark ales). It’s also available online.
(Seeing some online recipes for bonfire toffee that call for golden syrup – homebrew shops sell that, too. I’ve used it to make some Belgian-style ales.)
I ordered black treacle from Amazon. If it doesn’t get here in time, I may try some of the specialty shops, like the place where I get my vegan marshmallows. Discount stores sell golden syrup. I think since the backlash in the US against high fructose corn syrup, there’s a market for cane sugar syrup. Lyle’s, which I’m aware is a UK brand, has a distributor in NYC (either the Bronx or Brooklyn, I forget which), and it’s kosher. I assume it’s made here, according to the recipe used in the UK.
There are three kinds of molasses you can buy in the US (light, dark, and blackstrap; blackstrap isn’t sweet at all, and is mainly used as a medication-- it’s a good iron supplement, and in the patent medicine days, used to be an ingredient in tonics, and was probably the only one that did any good, if you had fatigue from mild iron poor anemia), and I’m here to tell you that none of them taste like treacle, although they are similar. I’ve never had molasses toffee, which is something I’ve never seen in the US, but you can get molasses taffy (chewy) here. It seems like mostly a Southern thing. I see it a lot in S. Indiana and Kentucky, but I’d never heard of it in New York. I like it, but it isn’t treacle.
Anyone know what the cream of tartar does to the treacle toffee? it’s usually listed as an ingredient.
I would have thought cream of tartar would cause the mix to bubble up at some point during cooking, but that’s only a guess.
Anyway, according to Snopes the Hershey Corp. is bravely protecting Americans from the threat of British Candy. On 16 January 2015, New York City-based British tea shop Tea & Sympathy published a Facebook status update castigating candy giant Hershey’s, alleging the company had “banned” imports of Cadbury chocolates made in the United Kingdom. In addition, the post claimed popular imported British chocolate items including Yorkie bars and Toffee Crisps were “banned” because their names or likenesses were too similar to the American confectionaries York Peppermint Patties and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups