← Nouns Cooking · British & Irish

Ingredients

• 60 g butter, plus extra for the tin
• 100 ml whole milk
• 450 g caster sugar
• 200 g sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

Method

1. Grease and line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper.
2. Put the butter, milk and sugar in a large, heavy pan over low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved and no longer feels gritty, about 10 min.
3. Stir in the condensed milk, turn the heat up to medium and bring to a steady boil. Boil for 15–20 min, stirring constantly so it does not catch, until it darkens to a light caramel colour and reaches 116°C (240°F), the soft-ball stage.
4. Take off the heat, add the vanilla and beat hard with a wooden spoon for 5–8 min until it thickens, loses its shine and starts to feel grainy against the pan.
5. Pour quickly into the tin and smooth the top. Leave for 20 min, then score into small squares with a knife.
6. Leave to set completely for at least 1 hour 30 min before breaking into pieces along the lines.

Tips

• No sugar thermometer? Drop a little into cold water: it is ready when it forms a soft ball you can squish between your fingers.
• The mixture is extremely hot and spits; use a deep pan and keep children well back.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food BBC Food Great British Chefs