> Skip to content

Activity  •  19 August 2020

 

Make Your Own Honeycomb with Edie's Experiments

Observe the chemical reaction of making honeycomb at home in National Science Week 2020.

For parents and teachers:

This is a fun activity that shows how chemistry and cooking are related. Adult supervision is needed for this one, as it involves a hot stove.

 

For students:

Edie loves to experiment with food, and making honeycomb is one of her favourite chemical reactions!

But, unlike the time she mixed up the ingredients while baking cookies for her classmates (resulting in the infamous Bitter Bikkies incident), honeycomb is a guaranteed winner!

(You can read more about Edie's story in Edie's Experiments 1: How to Make Friends or read an extract from the book here.)

 

Making Honeycomb

Aim: To observe a chemical reaction, and create a delicious treat!

Equipment:

  • large saucepan
  • baking tray, lined with baking paper
  • hot plate
  • wooden spoon
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup golden syrup
  • 3 tablespoons of water
  • 2 teaspoons of baking soda

 

 

Method:

 

1. Combine sugar, golden syrup and water in a large saucepan. (Tip: make sure the saucepan is much larger than what is needed to hold the ingredients, because the mixture will double in size!)


2. Heat the saucepan on the hot plate until the sugar is dissolved.


3. Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for seven minutes (or until the mixture is amber-coloured) without stirring.


4. Ready for the chemical reaction? Remove the saucepan from the heat, then straight away add the baking soda and mix it through with a wooden spoon. (The mixture will froth up, doubling in size!)


5. Pour the mixture into the tin, then refrigerate. (Tip: Make sure to pour it in quickly, otherwise it might set in the saucepan!)


6. Once the honeycomb has cooled, break it into pieces.


7. Enjoy your delicious, science-y treat.

 

Science Facts:

When the baking soda is added to the sugar mixture, the heat from the sugar breaks down the baking soda, causing it to release carbon dioxide gas. The gas tries to escape, causing the mixture to froth up! The gas also creates the honeycomb’s unique texture. (When you break the honeycomb into pieces after it has cooled, you may notice some bubbles, showing where the gas tried to escape!)

Featured Titles

Edie's Experiments 2: How to Be the Best
Edie's experiments in how to win at life continue . . . but how will she cope with a new rival?
Read more
Edie's Experiments 1: How to Make Friends
A new school, a classroom full of potential new friends and a science kit. What could possibly go wrong?
Read more

More features

See all activities
Activity
Activity
At home lesson: Edie's Easter eggs-periment

Create your own marbled Easter eggs with ingredients from the pantry.

Activity
Easy activities for kids at home

Keep the kids entertained with these fun book-related ideas. There's an activity book for every age: one for littlies, one for kids and one for grown-ups too!

Activity
Puffinalia for educators

Celebrating 80 years of Puffin!

Activity
Edie's Experiments activity pack

Crack open your science kit with Edie!

Article
Girls love science too

Charlotte Barkla reflects on writing a female protagonist for her new series, Edie's Experiments.

Activity
Print a free card for Grandparents’ Day

Celebrate Grandparents' Day with this free, printable card featuring Spot the dog.

Activity
Grandparents' Day book bingo

Celebrate Grandparents' Day with a reading challenge!

Activity
Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery Activity

Get in to the Christmas spirit with the Alice-Miranda activity!

Activity
Bluey and Bingo's guide to making Dad laugh

Bluey and Bingo share their guide for making Dad laugh this Father's Day.

Activity
An A to Z of Dreaming Differently Activity

Dream differently with this beautiful activity pack!

Looking for more activities?

See all activities