barley sugar

Barley sugar is an ancient sweet originally made from hot sugar syrup and coloured with an extract of barley. In appearance it is similar to a boiled sweet and usually amber in colour. Should you feel the desire to make your own, old-style barley sugar, you will need:

Barley - 250g (9 oz), hulled
Water - 5 litres (9 pints)
Sugar - 1 kg (2¼ lb), warmed

METHOD:

1. Gently cook the barley in the water for 5 hours.
2. Strain the jelly-like liquid and return it to the pan. Add the sugar, stir over a gentle heat until dissolved.
3. Boil the mixture until it just reaches the hard crack stage, 150°C (300°F). Pour the mixture over an oiled marble slab.
4. As soon as the mixture begins to cool, cut it into long strips and twist them.