| Makes 450g (1 lb)
- Granulated sugar - 450g (1 lb)
- Evaporated milk - 150 ml (¼ pint)
- Salt - pinch
- Vanilla essence - ½ tsp
METHOD
Butter a 20 cm (8 inch) shallow square cake tin. Fill a shallow
roasting tin with cold water.
Place the sugar in a heavy-based medium saucepan with the evaporated
milk. Heat very gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is
completely dissolved. Do not let mixture boil during this time or
it will crystallise. Do not use a non-stick pan or it will burn.
Once completely dissolved, bring to the boil and boil for about
20 minutes or until it registers 118 C (245 F) on a sugar thermometer
(i.e. the hard ball stage - when a little of the mixture will form
a hard ball when rolled between your fingers). Immediately stand
the base of the pan in the cold water and stir in the salt and vanilla
essence.
Remove the pan from the water and beat the mixture as it begins
to 'set' and go grainy around the edge of the pan, pulling the crust
towards the centre. Do not overbeat, otherwise the mixture will
not pour; if underbeaten, the tablet will be chewy - which is all
wrong!
While still pourable, pour the mixture into the prepared tin and
allow to cool slightly until set. Mark into squares or bars and
leave until completely cold, then cut or break into squares or bars.
Store in an airtight container.
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NOTE: It may take a couple of attempts to perfect
tablet, but it is worth the effort. It should be hard to the touch,
and granular and melting in the mouth.
VARIATIONS
Coconut Tablet
Stir 3 tbsp desiccated coconut into the syrup along with the salt
and vanilla before beating.
Ginger Tablet
Stir 2 tbsp chopped crystallised ginger into the mixture after beating.
Chocolate Tablet
Stir 125 g (4 oz) chocolate drops into the mixture after beating.
This recipe came from: Helen's
British Cooking Site
Little Bonus:
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