Bonfire Toffee
This is strong enough to take your teeth out if you're not careful, so treat with caution and sample in moderation!
220g Muscavado sugar, 60 ml of hot water, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, 60g black treacle, 60g of golden syrup. Line and butter a tray with baking parchment. Put the sugar and hot water in a heavy pan and heat until melted, being careful not to stir. Once combined, add the treacle and golden syrup, plus the lemon juice, and heat for 15 to 30 mins with a candy thermometer - you're waiting to get to 140C / 270 soft crack level. Once it's there, pour into your tray and leave to cool and set for at least an hour. It would make a lovely party favour for a bonfire dinner.
Parkin
My favourite food for the fiery Fawkes is Parkin, a great big slab of spicy, warm and sustaining treacle that lines the stomach and the arteries. It's not for the faint hearted, you may flinch at the sight of all the sugar that goes into it, so best to take it with you to the fireworks and share it round, lest you slip into a diabetic coma.
150g porridge oats, 130g of plain flour, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 120g black treacle, 120g golden syrup, 60g stem ginger, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 60g butter, 60 ml of milk and a handful of chopped and toasted almonds.
In one pan warm up the milk and bicarb then add butter, melt and follow with the syrup and treacle. Warm them all together, then remove from the heat and add all the dry ingredients and chopped stem ginger, stirring gently to combine.
Take a square silicone baking tray, line with greaseproof and butter. Spoon in the mixture and level off, then pop in an oven at 180 degrees for 20 mins, until springy to touch. Halfway through scatter a handful of chopped and toasted almonds over the top. Remember, remember, the spices will get stronger and deeper if you make this a few days ahead of time...
