Perfect! It is also called fairy food, seafoam, sponge candy, honeycomb, hot air candy, etc. After 8-10 failed batches, I finally found the way to success: If you don’t have a high quality DIGITAL candy thermometer, don’t even try this. The brand I use is CDN. Previously I had tried a cheap analog thermometer and/or testing in cold water, but the candy cooks so quickly that by the time the thermometer registered the right temp (or a sample formed a brittle thread), the candy had already cooked to a much higher temp. It burned EVERY time I tried these methods. Before starting to cook the candy, prepare: Line your pan with non-stick foil (It peels right off the cooled candy!) Measure and sift baking soda. Make sure your pan is large enough, as the mixture will foam a great deal after you add the baking soda. Use a heat-proof silicone spatula for stirring the candy mixture. Cook only at medium heat or lower; higher will cause the candy to cook too fast and it will burn. Be ready; the SECOND the candy thermometer registers 300°, slide your pan off the burner and add the baking soda. Stir quickly, but be sure to incorporate every bit of the soda. (It’s nasty to get even a teeny bite of pure soda!) Pour into the nonstick foil-lined pan as evenly as you can, but resist the urge to spread it. It will fill in the empty spots as it cools and settles. Score cooled candy w/ a serrated knife, then place into a Ziploc bag and break. Pieces will be irregular in shape.

Reviewed On: Dec. 17, 2009

These were delicious, and the aroma was heavenly! They were very moist and chewy. I didn't change the spices, but they were almost perfect. I will add a bit more cinnamon next time. I liked that these didn't have too strong of a spicy or molasses flavor. I did use OJ instead of water. My only problem with the recipe is that my cookies spread so much that they were very thin and flat. I am positively ANAL when it comes to measuring (I level the flour with a straight edge, etc.), so I know it wasn't anything I did. I think a little more flour (about 1/4 C) might do the trick. Or, possibly a little less sugar. It would also be nice to find some coarse sugar to roll them in for an even prettier presentation. Next time, I will definitely double the recipe, because they didn't last long!

Reviewed On: Oct. 11, 2009

The flavor was EXCELLENT! This is preferable to other recipes that include eggs, which in my opinion weaken the flavor. This was very cheesy! Because I only had mild cheddar, I added the following to give it more "zing": 2 dashes curry powder, about 1/8-1/4 tsp. dry mustard, and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic salt. (Yum!!! I'm going to make it this way all the time!) I am giving it only 4 stars because of the texture. I prefer a creamy mac 'n' cheese, and although this was very saucy, the sauce itself was very grainy. I did run the cottage cheese through a blender, but it didn't help much. I wonder if shredded parmesan would melt better than grated, or if another creamier/better melting cheese could be substituted. Also, I see why people added more macaroni; 8 oz. does not make much and does not fill up a 9 x 13 pan. I would keep all the same proportions (because all that sauce really makes it good!), but increase the entire recipe by half. Wonderful recipe overall; will definitely make again!

Reviewed On: Oct. 11, 2009