Continuing our occasional feature of recipes from around the globe, we take a sweet detour, as Grace shares this recipe for honeycomb.
“I asked Head Boy Orlando Read, as an expert baker, for his recommendation of a baking project that involves an interesting reaction and that would be fun for students to try out,” Grace said.
Orlando suggested honeycomb. The reaction that students will observe when making honeycomb is called thermal decomposition. When the hot golden syrup is combined with the bicarbonate soda, the sodium bicarbonate is broken down into carbon dioxide, water and sodium carbonate.
“The carbon dioxide produced gas bubbles and the gas tried to escape. When the mixture of golden syrup and decomposed bicarbonate soda is cooled down, it sets and the bubbles are trapped. And that’s what gives honeycomb its unique texture.”