Chocolate

[Lesley Cox]

What, precisely, is tablet? "The Tablet" used to be the official journal of the Roman Catholic church in NZ. I think it went under some time ago. It was published here in Dunedin.

[Anthony Darby]

Sugar, condensed milk and unsalted butter boiled and allowed to crystallise.

http://www.scruss.com/tablet.html

[Lesley Cox]

There you are then Anthony. Have you tried it yet? I'd say it sounds disgusting except that knowing my own eating habits I'd probably love it.

First cake in my new oven, the timer is beeping now. Gotta go.

[Anthony Darby]

That is an internet version Lesley. I want a home made recipe. There's tablet and there's tablet.

[bulborum]

Anthony

Probably the amounts of the internet receipt are good
taste depends on the quality from the cream
and the butter

just go to the organic marked
they have much  better tasting stuff

to make your own condensed milk is difficult
but you can try

and as wit  Fudge
always use a wooden spoon

By the time you are ready
you can send me a sample
and I tell you if it's good or not 

Roland

[Anthony Darby]

In the last few weeks we have had tablet sent to us from different sources. Not only does each taste different, but the texture is different too. Each make, though, is generally consistent in all aspects. I find it strange that the local Scottish bakery doesn't make it!

[David Nicholson]

I've discovered the gentle art of chai tea which exercises my right elbow and relaxes me at the same time.

David N would say that lifting a pint would give better exercise and relaxation as well.

He certainly would

[Anthony Darby]

Lifting a pint? How singular!

[David Nicholson]

 

[Anthony Darby]

Perhaps Lesley or Susan could tell me where to get ham stock cubes? All the supermarkets seem to have Oxo in beef, chicken and vegetable stock cube form, but no ham, nor in any other make!

[TC]

Scotch tablet    Preparation time 20 minutes. Cooking time  45 minutes  Makes 20 pieces.  Cost 5/-  ( this dates it somewhat)

Here is a recipe which has been used for about 40 years.  We made some a few weeks ago when our granddaughters were staying.  They demolished the lot in short time, including scraping the inside off the pot

1/2 pint milk
2 lbs. granulated sugar
1 oz. butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk (size equivalent to 1 3/4 pints milk)
A few drops vanilla essence - other flavourings may be used - maple is particularly nice
20 walnut halves - optional but again adds to the flavour.

Put the fresh milk, sugar and butter in a pan.  Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves - about 20 minutes.  Add condensed milk.  Boil slowly for 25 minutes, or until a fudge like colour.  Add essence.  Take off heat;beat for 10 minutes.  Pour into well-oiled 9 inch square tin and put walnuts on top of tablet -optional. Leave to cool and set;cut evenly into twenty even pieces. The "cook" is permitted to scrape the pot!  

The preparation may sound simple but over heating the mixture can end up with fudge or toffee.  The secret is to end up with a slightly granular texture.

[Darren]

It occurs to me the only way to squeeze more calories into this would be to dip it in batter and fry it....

But then Scotland did invent the deep-fried Mars bar so I'm sure some enterprising chippy owner has already tried it.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks Tom. That looks good.

I don't think Scotland has the monopoly on deep fried Mars bars. Lucy went to a friend's house for a sleep over a few weeks back. Her friend plays netball and her mother is the team coach. I asked if she'd enjoyed herself. Yes, especially Saturday tea. Chicken burger and chips and a deep fried Mars bar. I asked if her friend Emma had been allowed one, only to be told Emma and her mother had each had one as it was her mum's suggestion! The chippy at Buckland's Beach (where we stayed for the first three nights) even offers to fry your own for a dollar!

[angie]

There is this lovely sweet shop in Stonehaven, 14 miles from Aberdeen and every so often I treat myself to their tablet ice-cream, it also comes with hot toffee sauce, maltesers, chocolate buttons, small marshmallows and off course a chocolate flake 

Angie

[Lesley Cox]

Can't help with the ham stock cubes I'm afraid. I occasionally used to be able to buy a Maggi bacon stock which was OK for a soup but can't get that now either, and Campbells don't seem to do one though their other liquid stocks are good - though expensive. I usually use a smoked pork hock or some bacon ends from my market now.

Re tablet, I'll ask at the Scottish shop in Dunedin. You can get odds and ends there unexpectedly. They stock Irn Bru!