Failed sweet making

**Laird_M** · 22nd December 11, 07:05 AM

Chatting with a colleague the other other day she asked if I liked Tablet and I told her I hadn't had it for years.

So, I thought I'd have a bash at making some - made sweets in the past so it can't be THAT difficult right?

Wrong - I've got a nice tray of soft toffee, but no tablet...

**Meggers** · 22nd December 11, 07:39 AM

tablet...

A Glasgow mate of mine sent me a goody bag from Scotland (we swapped. I put in Reeses' peanut butter cups, jolly ranchers, and a few other American goodies) and he sent me tablet, maltezers, and a couple other things....I wasn't too fond of the tablet. Too sweet for me. However, I loved the maltezers.

**Lime** · 22nd December 11, 07:56 AM

My Dad makes the best tablet (funny - he can't make anything else!)... for some reason we have always just called tablet "fudge" and remember when we moved south of the border being rather surprised at the soft "English fudge" (which I don't particularly like) and it was only when I met my wife that I even became aware that the fudge my Dad makes is actually tablet.

All of this reminds me that I am going to have to get the recipe from him and learn the art; I'll let you know how I get on.

**Laird_M** · 22nd December 11, 08:12 AM

Thanks.
I have two recipes, one takes only 25 minutes (the one I used), the other takes about an hour.

**Drac** · 22nd December 11, 08:43 AM

Is this what we are talking about?

http://britishfood.about.com/od/scot...s/r/tablet.htm

Jim

**Laird_M** · 22nd December 11, 09:35 AM

That's it. Doesn't look anything like mine though...

**Tobus** · 22nd December 11, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Laird_M

Chatting with a colleague the other other day she asked if I liked Tablet and I told her I hadn't had it for years.

So, I thought I'd have a bash at making some - made sweets in the past so it can't be THAT difficult right?

Wrong - I've got a nice tray of soft toffee, but no tablet...

I've never heard of tablet before now, but if I'm reading the description properly, it sounds like the key to it is caramelizing the sugar well enough to harden. My guess would be that you didn't cook it long enough or hot enough (did you use a candy thermometer in this process?).

But also, when making similar candies in the past (my grandparents owned a candy store when I was a child and made everything in the back of the store... oh, the memories!), I found that humidity in the air made a big difference on how well it 'set up' after cooking. On dry, crisp days, it would get nice and hard. On wet, soggy days, it would tend to resist hardening.

**Drac** · 22nd December 11, 10:23 AM

If you are using a thermometer a big thing is calibrating it. My mother-in-law's was 21F off and mine was 30F+ off. Always test in a pot of boiling water before using for any length of time. The Wilton ones especially since the glass tube can slide rather easily.

Jim

**Laird_M** · 22nd December 11, 12:10 PM

Hmm, didn't use my sugar thermometer as I could find it so judged by eye and dropping small amount into water.

It was a damp day today so that may have been a factor.

The kids love it so it won't go to waste, and I'll have another go once I know where my gear is.

**Lime** · 22nd December 11, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Laird_M

Thanks.
I have two recipes, one takes only 25 minutes (the one I used), the other takes about an hour.

Quite lucky really; I could give you the ancient family recipe but then I would be compelled to kill you. I like a bit of tablet as much as the next man but it probably wouldn't be worth it even if you could find a manticore's eyeball!