[Cheviot]

Hi,
If you are anywhere near Penrith, the Toffee shop there has fudge to die for, it is actually more like tablet, the chocolate one is sooooooooo good.
Drooling just thinking about it.
Regards
Sue

[sokel]

Hi,
If you are anywhere near Penrith, the Toffee shop there has fudge to die for, it is actually more like tablet, the chocolate one is sooooooooo good.
Drooling just thinking about it.
Regards
Sue

I second that    I visit every time I go to Penrith 

[Lesley Silvester]

I'm glad I don't live near there. I have no will-power.

[devonlad]

Round these parts its called butter tablet or even cornish buttter tablet tho I understand its origins are indeed scottish. Bloomin scrumptious

[oor wullie]

I always had it in my head that tablet was something that a man made on his rare venture into the kitchen, probably because it was my grandfather that used to make it and then I made loads and loads of it for favours at my wedding.

I don't have the exact recipe to hand but the following is what I can roughly remember.
Butter, sugar, condensed milk (the really thick sweet stuff).  I can't remember the proportions.

Melt them together in a pan and bring to the boil.  After boiling for a few minutes it will start to go a bit darker in colour.  A bit of trial and error is needed until you can judge what is the ideal colour to take it off the heat.

As soon as it is done take it off the heat and start beating it with a wooden spoon and keep beating it until it is nearly cool.  This is critical that is gets enough mixing at this stage and you will be tempted to give up half way, don't, you need to keep going until you have arms like Popeye.

When it is nearly cool but still not set put it in a greased tray to set properly.

It is pretty difficult to get it right first time but failures will still be quite edible (in a teeth destroying, heart stopping way).

[darkbrowneggs]

So all this beating - must it be done by hand or could you do it in a blender thing?

[oor wullie]

It might work with a food mixer but you would want to be careful you didn't damage your mixer by overloading it as the mixture will be quite stiff. 

[darkbrowneggs]

thanks 

[ballingall]

We've got a recipe in an old scottish book, my mum made it for years and years. I don't know if you could do the beating in a mixer, wouldn't the mix be too hot at the beginning?


I'll type up the recipe for you later today.


Beth

[darkbrowneggs]

Thanks _ will need to get sugar supplies.  I rarely use it on or in anything myself so of course didnt bring much with me in Thebus.  Perhaps thats why I enjoy it so much - sugar rush - sugar rush 

[ballingall]

Ok, so from "The home book of Scottish Cookery". First published 1967, our copy published in 1973.


Vanilla Tablet.


Ingredients.
1lb granulated sugar
2oz butter
1 tbs. syrup
1/4 pint milk
1 teasp vanilla essence.


Before making, grease a tin 6" by 6". Put the milk, sugar, butter, and syrup into a pan (a heavy bottomed one is better) and dissolve slowly.
Boil to 245 F, or until a drop forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and allow the bubbles to settle, add the vanilla essence and beat until thick.
Pour into the tin, giving the tin a shake to settle the tablet. Mark into squares when almost cold.


Vary the flavouring by adding one of the following,


4oz chopped walnuts
Rind and juice of 1 orange
2teasp cocoa
2 oz crystallised chopped ginger
2tbs coffee essence




Apologies for the imperial measurements! We also make cherry flavour, by adding chopped glacé cherries. Can recommend the walnut, cocoa (chocolate flavour), ginger and the cherry.


Beth