Kaye Roberts in New Zealand must've been so impressed
by Jackie's GARDEN TOUR & CREAM TEA
[shown HERE], that she came to Cambridgeshire
to experience them for herself because . . .
. . . on 30 May, Jackie writes:
Kaye is in Leister and going to Nottingham
today/tomorrow; Monica is driving her to meet me
at my work tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. If she is on time,
I plan to take them over the road from my work
to a garden centre for tea & scones
before Monica drives home.
I've made some SCOTTISH TABLET
as a little gift for Monica & Kaye,
and plan to take her for a Chinese on
Saturday night with Tom,
and a nice local restaurant &
a carryout fish supper on Friday.
Only homemade SCOTTISH TABLET will do.
It is concentrated sugar
and way too sweet for some people,
but a little bit is very nice with a cup of tea.
Pure nostalgia for a Scottish person of my years.
RECIPE FOR SCOTTISH TABLET
In large saucepan - choose one size then use the next size up - add the following:
1 pound of white granulated sugar
1/2 pint of water
2 ounces of good quality unsalted butter
1 small tin of condensed milk
Slowly melt all above; stirring continuously, bring to boil
Stir continuously on a simmer for 30 to 45 minutes
(it froths up to double the size, hence the big saucepan)
You will see the level start to drop a bit and the colour change from pale milky to golden caramel
(this is because you are boiling off the water)
Test by dropping a tiny drop into a saucer of cold water; when it rolls into a soft ball, the mix is cooked
Take it off the heat & stir as hard as you can while the mixture cools
(this also helps rid you of bingo wings) [explained HERE]
At this stage, you can add whisky, nuts or vanilla essence if you wish
You will see the mixture taking on a grainy texture
Pour into a greased (I use coconut oil for a nicer taste) 7-inch or thereabouts square pan
(a bigger pan makes a thinner layer)
Mark of the squares or it will be difficult when the mixture sets; leave to cool
The taste 'matures' as it cools so it won't have that tablet taste when it is hot
It will keep in an airtight container forever as long as two-legged mice don't find it
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