Hokey Pokey

Objective

To make some hokey pokey to eat

Difficulty:

Time: 10 minutes cooking plus cooling time

Adult supervision: required

Dangers: heat

Materials

Small pot

Measuring cup & measuring spoons

Wooden spoon

Baking tin lined with baking paper

5 tablespoons sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Instructions

Put sugar and golden syrup in the small pot
Heat gently while stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves
Increase the heat and cook until the mixture starts to boil
Stir occasionally to prevent burning
Remove from heat
Add the baking soda
Stir quickly until the mixture froths up
Pour into the lined tin and leave until cold and hard, then break into pieces.

The Science

The first scientific principle is a physical change in the sugar from a solid to a liquid.

Another chemical reaction takes place when the baking soda is added. Heat causes the baking soda to break down into its constituent chemicals. One of these is carbon dioxide gas. As the hokey pokey cools, it traps some of the gas giving it the airy texture.