Hamburger Speck (Hamburg Sugar Foam Candy)

Description

Layered sugar-foam candy in the Hamburg city colours of red and white, cut into slabs and rolled in icing sugar and starch. The name comes from the shape, which is reminiscent of streaky bacon – there is no bacon in it whatsoever.

1. 1

   Mix icing sugar and cornstarch and pass them through a sieve. Brush a rectangular tin (about 20 × 25 cm) thinly with oil and dust it generously with the mixture; keep the rest for later.

   ⏱️ approx. 10 min
2. 2

   Stir the powdered gelatine into eight tablespoons of cold water and let it swell. Slit the vanilla pods lengthways, scrape out the seeds and mix them with a teaspoon of water.

   ⏱️ approx. 10 min

   💡 Tip: Less water with the gelatine gives a firmer candy, more water a fluffier one.

3. 3

   Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until very stiff. The bowl must be completely free of grease or the whites will not set firm.

   ⏱️ approx. 6 min
4. 4

   Bring the sugar to the boil with 250 millilitres of water, add the syrup and let it boil hard for two minutes – to 115 °C on a thermometer. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the swollen gelatine and the vanilla seeds until everything has dissolved clear.

   ⏱️ approx. 12 min
5. 5

   Pour the hot sugar syrup into the beaten egg white in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Keep beating until the mass has cooled and is thick and glossy – that takes a good ten minutes.

   ⏱️ approx. 12 min
6. 6

   Take off half the mass and leave it white – these are the pale layers. Fill the tin halfway with it and smooth the surface.

   ⏱️ approx. 5 min
7. 7

   Colour the second half strongly with red food colouring and pour it swiftly over the white layer. For the exact Hamburg colours, use a deep carmine red.

   ⏱️ approx. 5 min

   💡 Tip: For the Heligoland version, colour one third red, leave one third white and make one third green.

8. 8

   Let the tin set for about three hours at room temperature – not in the fridge, where the sugar foam draws moisture.

   ⏱️ approx. 180 min
9. 9

   Turn out the set slab, cut it with a large knife dipped in hot water into strips and then into bacon-like slices, and roll every cut surface in the remaining starch and icing sugar mixture. Store airtight and dry.

   ⏱️ approx. 15 min