How to Make Honeycomb Candy Without It Getting Sticky

What it means

• Stickiness almost always comes from either undercooking (too much water left in the sugar) or from moisture in the air after it is made.
• Sugar cooked below the hard-crack stage stays soft and tacky, so an accurate candy thermometer is the single biggest fix.
• Honeycomb is highly hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs humidity, which is why exposed pieces go tacky within hours on a damp day.
• Coating the shards in chocolate seals out moisture and keeps them crisp far longer.

Action steps

1. Cook the syrup all the way to 149-154 C (300-310 F) on a candy thermometer before adding the baking soda.
2. Choose a dry day and avoid making honeycomb when the kitchen is steamy or humid.
3. Let it cool completely, then break it up and store immediately in an airtight container or zip bag with the air pressed out.
4. Add a food-safe desiccant sachet to the container, or dip the pieces in tempered chocolate, for the longest crisp shelf life.
5. Do not refrigerate, since condensation makes it sticky.

Risks & deadlines

• On humid days honeycomb can turn sticky within an hour of exposure, so bag it up quickly.
• Refrigeration causes condensation and accelerates stickiness, so keep it at cool room temperature instead.