SWEET SURRENDER

From hive to home, treat yourself to nature's bounty of liquid gold with these delectable, honey-infused recipes for easy entertaining

- JESSICA BROOK

Oat & honeycomb cookie bars

MAKES 12

Prep 15 minutes Cooking 1 hour

½ cup (125ml) vegetable oil

1 egg

½ cup (110g) brown sugar

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar

1¼ cups (125g) rolled oats

¾ cup (100g) golden raisins

1 cup (150g) plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Honeycomb

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

½ cup (180g) honey

¼ cup (60ml) water

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm slice tin with baking paper, allowing a 3cm overhang. Set aside.

2 Whisk oil, egg and combined sugars in a large bowl. Add the oats, raisins, flour, vanilla and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Spoon into prepared tin and press with the back of a spoon to form an even layer.

3 Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Set aside in tin to cool.

4 To make the honeycomb, place the sugar, honey and water in a large, deep saucepan over medium-low heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil.

5 Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture is a deep golden colour and reaches 154°C on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat and allow bubbles to subside slightly. Working quickly, add bicarbonate of soda, stirring with a wooden spoon until just incorporated and the mixture starts to foam.

6 Pour quickly over the cookie bar base and set aside to cool completely.

7 Using a serrated knife, cut into bars to serve. Store cookie bars in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature to eat.

TIP Work fast with your honeycomb to make sure you have an airy honeycomb texture (honeycomb will foam).