Ingredients

• ¼pt/150ml evaporated milk
• ¼pt/150ml water
• 3oz/75g butter
• 1lb/450g granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Butter a 7in/18cm square tin. Put the evaporated milk, water, butter and sugar in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Cook over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, without boiling. Then raise the heat and boil the mixture steadily until it will form a soft ball when a little is dropped into cold water, 237°F/114°C. Stir all the time to prevent the mixture sticking or burning.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla essence. Leave to cool for a minute or two, then beat well until the mixture starts to thicken and crystallise round the edge of the pan.
4. Pour into the prepared tin and leave to cool and set. When cold and firm cut into pieces.

Notes