AS CHILDREN, MY BROTHERS, SISTER, AND I were always taken to the Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, a fair held every August without interruption for more than three centuries. The word lammas means “loaf mass” and refers to the custom of placing on the church altar loaves of bread baked from the first harvest grains. The many joys of the day included seeing all our friends and neighbors in their Sunday best, being bought a balloon to tie to our wrists, and, of course, partaking at the most popular stalls at the fair: the yellowman vendors.
We children would crunch through the pale yellow, toffeelike sponge candy, too eager to let it melt in our mouth as the grown-ups did.
This candy is traditionally eaten on its own, but I often break it up with a mortar and pestle to use as an ice-cream topping, or to stir into custard to add a pleasantly crunchy texture.
MAKES
6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for buttering pan
1 cup / 180 grams light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon corn syrup or golden syrup
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons baking soda
Butter a large loaf pan and set it aside. Have ready a bowl of cold water.
Melt the tablespoon of butter in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of water and bring to a boil swirling the pan, but without stirring, taking care as the mixture begins to caramelize: It will be very hot. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is amber in color. If you have a candy thermometer, you’ll know it’s done when the temperature reaches 250°F / 120°C, or you can test it using the hardball test.
To test the Yellowman, carefully spoon out a mound of the mixture and drop it into the bowl of cold water. It’s ready if the mixture turns into a crisp and brittle ball. When it passes the hardball test, remove the pan from the heat and add the baking soda, working quickly and stirring with a long spoon. You’ll find that it will foam and froth. Pour it into the prepared pan and allow it to cool. When the Yellowman is cool (about 30 minutes), cover the loaf pan with a double layer of plastic wrap and hit it with the back of a spoon until the candy breaks into bite-size bites. Keep the candy covered, and store at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to a year.