cinder toffee

IPA/ˌsɪn.də ˈtɒf.i/
IPA/ˌsɪn.dɚ ˈtɑː.fi/

cinder toffee — noun

1. A light, crunchy sweet with a honeycomb-like texture, made by boiling sugar and

1.nounB2
Definition

A light, crunchy sweet with a honeycomb-like texture, made by boiling sugar and golden syrup with bicarbonate of soda so that small air bubbles form as the mixture hardens.

Example

Nora's grandmother made a batch of cinder toffee for the Christmas party.

uncountable noun with 'a batch of'

For Eric, the best part of visiting his aunt was eating her homemade cinder toffee.

Common collocations
  • a piece of cinder toffee
  • homemade cinder toffee
  • cinder toffee recipe
  • make cinder toffee
  • crush cinder toffee
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

cinder toffee [uncountable]

a piece of cinder toffee

Usage Note

This term is used mainly in British English. In the United States and Canada, the same confection is usually called 'honeycomb toffee', while in New Zealand it is known as 'hokey pokey'.

Common Mistakes

I ate three cinder toffees for dessert.
I ate three pieces of cinder toffee for dessert.
Cinder toffee is usually treated as an uncountable noun; use 'piece(s) of' to refer to individual servings.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three names all refer to the same confection: a light, bubbly toffee made from sugar, syrup and baking soda. 'Cinder toffee' is the most common term in British English and is the name used in cookbooks and by British confectioners. 'Honeycomb toffee' is the preferred name in the United States and Canada, where the airy texture is likened to a honeycomb. 'Hokey pokey' is the New Zealand name and also appears in Australian English. A learner need only learn one of these names depending on which variety of English they follow, though understanding all three is useful when reading international recipes or food blogs.

cinder toffee ↗honeycomb toffeehokey pokey ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cinder toffee recipe
  • cinder toffee shop
  • cinder toffee texture

Phrases

  • piece of cinder toffee
  • batch of cinder toffee
  • bag of cinder toffee

Etymology

English

The name 'cinder toffee' comes from the confection's dark, porous appearance after cooking — the tiny air holes and golden-brown colour make it resemble cinders (small pieces of burnt coal or wood). The word 'toffee' refers to the sugar-and-butter confection that forms the base of the recipe. The name has been used in British cookery since at least the late 19th century.