Milk Toffee
Sanjana Hattotuwa (Dunedin/Sri Lanka) used to watch his Archchi (grandma) bake this fudgy sweet in the early '80s: "I remember never leaving the vicinity of the oven because the smell of hot toffee was so mouth-watering."
- prepare
- cook
- 20 servings
Condensed milk was a luxury back in the day — expensive, and exotic.
Given how infrequently it was purchased — and for a single breadwinner, lower-middle class family, how expensive it was — the rarity of the Milkmaid tin’s appearance presented a dilemma.
I was torn between consuming it or permitting its intended use in the creation of a much-loved sweetmeat. I chose both obviously, but this perfectly reasonable logic was rejected by Archchi, albeit lovingly.
Mixed with very generous portions of cashews, and sometimes even raisins, I remember never leaving the vicinity of the oven, because the smell of hot toffee was so mouth-watering.
The process of cutting it up into small squares (Archchi was a perfectionist) invariably resulted in smaller, non-geometric pieces that were immediately consumed or stored in a jar — zealously guarded from a much elder sister who was assessed as a key threat to this prized stash.
For me, this recipe is personal, and precious like a Proustian madeleine — triggering evocative memories of family, country, childhood, and memories of Archchi, who I adored.
Ingredients
- 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
- 250g white granulated sugar
- 120ml water
- 28g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 tsp rose water (optional)
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds, toasted and crushed (or 1⁄4 tsp ground cardamom)
- 100g roasted cashew nuts, chopped (I usually go with more, around 150-200g, because I like cashews)
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 22cm square baking pan with butter or line with parchmentpaper. Set aside.
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk,sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thesugar dissolves.
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes until the mixturethickens and turns a deep golden brown colour. It should leave a thin film onthe sides of the pan.
- Tips:
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan and stir constantly to prevent burning.
- Cook until the mixture reaches 116C on a candy thermometer for best results.
- For a smoother texture, use a blender to grind the cardamom seeds into a powder before adding.
- Store milk toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
