Honeycomb candy (ppopgi)

Instructions

1. First, set up a stamping station. Cut two sheets of baking paper the same size as a large baking sheet. Use one piece of paper to line the baking sheet and grease the paper well with butter. Grease one side of the other piece of baking paper with butter and set aside. Find a heavy object with a flat surface, such as a wooden chopping board or a couple of heavy cookbooks. You will also need a few cookie cutters in different shapes, ready for stamping.
2. To make the honeycomb, heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to melt. Swirl the pan around so the sugar melts evenly and doesn’t brown too quickly.
3. Once the sugar has melted and turned a light golden colour, remove it from the heat. Add the bicarbonate of soda and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it stops foaming and bubbling. The honeycomb should be a light amber colour.
4. Immediately pour the honeycomb onto the prepared baking sheet in four equal circles about 5 cm (2 in) in diameter. Leave at least 5 cm (2 in) of space between each circle to allow for spreading. Place the second sheet of baking paper over the honeycomb, greased side down, then place a chopping board on top for 5 seconds to weigh down the mixture. Remove the board and the top sheet of baking paper, then use various cookie cutters to stamp different shapes into the honeycomb, being careful not to cut all the way through. Work quickly, while the honeycomb is still malleable.
5. Set aside to cool and harden, then eat the honeycomb immediately or store it in an airtight container. Be sure to layer the honeycomb with baking paper to prevent the candies from sticking together.