Authentic Yellowman, is a brittle honeycomb toffee originating from the north east of Ireland. It has a hard outer shell with a softer, honeycomb interior.
Yellowman is known for its bright yellow color, brittle texture and honeycomb structure with lots of air pockets. It has a sweet, slightly caramel-like taste due to the golden syrup, but it is not as rich or full flavored as toffee or fudge.
Yellowman is all about the initial crunch followed by the melt in your mouth, lingering toffee sweetness that will soon have you envisioning the Glens of Antrim!
The Ould Lammas Fair
Yellowman is part of Northern Ireland’s culinary heritage. It first appeared at the Ould Lammas Fair, held annually in the town of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. The Ould Lammas Fair is over four hundreds years old fair in Ireland, making it is the oldest fair in Ireland! Along with hand crafted goods and fresh produce, the Fair features old time favorites – Dulse and Yellowman. Dulse is a type of reddish/brown seaweed harvested from the North Atlantic coast. Sold in white paper bags with white dusting of sea salt on it, it is a real seaside treat.
Sometime in mid 19th century, local Ballycastle shopkeeper John Henry MacAulay, wrote a song about the Ould Lammas Fair. In it, he mentions the two snack staples Dulse and Yellowman:
The entire song can be found here.
Yellowman is no longer a seasonal sweetie. There is no need to wait for August to roll around. Found year round in Northern Ireland, in local sweet shops and markets, packaged in clear plastic bags. But now that you have a recipe, you can make it at anytime.
How does Yellowman Compare with Similar Confections
Yellowman is similar to honeycomb and sea foam. The difference lies in the sweeteners used and whether or not vinegar is added.
Other names for these confections are sponge toffee, hokey pokey, fairy food candy (popular name given in Wisconsin U.S.), cinder toffee (Wales) and puff candy (Scotland).
“Seafoam” is a more regional term primarily used in the US, while “honeycomb” is more widely recognized globally.
Yellowman Irish Honeycomb Recipe
Are you ready to make a batch of this beloved, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth confection? Oh the nostalgia – just the sheer mention of Yellowman takes me back home, so why not join me in the journey?
The combination of baking soda and vinegar causes the mixture to foam up and provides Yellowman with its unique texture. That’s what makes this confectionery irresistible! Scroll down to the Recipe Card for step by step instructions.
Ingredients
- Sugar: plain white sugar.
- Bicarbonate of soda: aka baking soda.
- Vinegar: white vinegar, but white wine vinegar is a good substitute.
- Light corn syrup.
- Golden Syrup: the most common version is Tate and Lyles or feel free to make you own using this recipe.
Scroll down to the recipe card for step by step instructions, or view the video here.
How to Make Authentic Yellowman.
A Tip From Me
Here are a few tips that certainly helped me when making Yellowman:
- Use a sugar or digital thermometer. This will take away any guesswork. Clip a traditional, analog candy thermometer with its long paddle (metal stand) onto a pot. It can be harder to read, but it’s safer when measuring sugar syrup temperatures. Or use a digital thermometer. Periodically insert the digital thermometer into the pot. Since it’s handheld, exercise caution when handling extremely hot syrups to avoid burns. It does however offer a more precise, digital readout of the temperature of the melting sugar.
- A tall, wide based pot is ideal for even sugar melting. Failing that, a cast iron skillet is good, it provides even heating.
- Stir occasionally to eliminate hot spots.
- When the syrup reaches the target temperature, take the pot off the heat immediately.
- Use, if possible, long stemmed measuring spoons when adding the vinegar and baking soda.
Other Yellowman Uses
Yellowman is not just Irish style honeycomb. Incorporate it into ice cream as an ingredient to make a unique ice cream flavor, or use it as a crispy ice cream topping. Covered larger pieces in milk chocolate to make homemade copy cat Crunchie Bars. There’s even a flavored vodka based on Yellowman called Yellaman Honeycomb Vodka Liqueur. This is a clear alcoholic beverage with a full flavor of traditional Yellowman.
How to Store Yellowman
Keep it in an airtight container in a cool location, but do not refrigerate. Separate layers using wax paper and consume within 3 weeks of making it.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
Yellowman is a sweet treat sold at the Ould Lammas Fair and Dulse is a seaweed, locally sourced from the north Antrim coast where the Ould Lammas Fair is held every August. It’s more about tradition rather than a pairing of flavors, although after eating chewy salty Dulse, eating a piece or two of Yellowman afterwards, seems to make perfect sense!
Yellowman has a harder, more solid rind, that’s why a hammer is used to break it apart.
Break it up into very small pieces and use it as a decoration for ice cream, cheesecakes and sponge cakes. It can also be used as an ingredient in ice cream when making honeycomb ice cream.
More Northern Irish Sweet Treats
If you are in the mood to continue this theme of sweet treats from the north of Ireland, then I highly recommend Fifteens and Pineapple Delights!
Authentic Yellowman Northern Irish Honeycomb
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar 7 oz
- ½ cup golden syrup 4 oz
- ½ cup corn syrup 4 oz
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp baking soda bicarbonate of soda
Instructions
- In a heavy, high sided pot, place the sugar, corn and golden syrups.1 cup sugar, ½ cup golden syrup, ½ cup corn syrup
- Stir to mix the ingredients.
- Once the sugary mixture starts to bubble start checking the temperature with a digital or sugar thermometer.
- At 260℉ / 127℃, remove the pot from the heat and add the vinegar and the baking soda. Be careful as the syrup will foam and increase in size.2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp baking soda
- Stir well and pour the foaming mixture into a 9" x 9" (20-25 cm) square dish lined with wax or parchment paper.
- Allow to cool and harden, this will take about 30 minutes. Use a hammer to break the Yellowman into pieces.
Video
Notes
- Use a sugar or digital thermometer.
- Consider investing in some long handled measuring spoons.
- A high sided, wide based pot is ideal.
- Use the claw part of a hammer to break up the Yellowman.
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