Heather Honey Helensburgh Tablet – from Jane Greenhalgh

Heather Honey Helensburgh Tablet

2lb white granulated sugar

240ml semi-skimmed milk

4oz salted butter

Tin (397g size) sweetened condensed milk

1 generous tablespoon heather honey

2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract

Put all ingredients in a large strong saucepan and heat slowly over a low heat,  stirring all the while.  When the sugar is fully dissolved, bring to the boil and boil rapidly until it ‘boils down’ in the saucepan and goes a rich golden colour, stirring constantly.  Test in a bowl of water – you should be able to push the drop around with your finger without it dissolving.  Remove from heat and beat hard until you feel it start to ‘grain’.  Pour into swiss-roll tins lined with baking parchment.  Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Notes:  Tablet making is an art, perfected over generations in Scotland.  Helensburgh Tablet comes from an old family recipe – generations of sweet-toothed Scots living on the Firth of Clyde.  It is really important not to let it burn, so a pan that has even thickness bottom and sides is important.  Heavy-bottomed pans tend to burn round the edges.   Tate and Lyle (cane) sugar dissolves more readily than Silver Spoon (sugar beet).  It is vital that the sugar is FULLY dissolved before allowing the mixture to boil; otherwise you will end up with a scraunchy final product.  The only way to test it is to taste it, but be careful, BOILING SUGAR BURNS BADLY!!  In the original recipe, golden syrup is used instead of Heather Honey.  Both taste great!

Caution:  This product is addictive.  A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips…..