Heather Honey Helensburgh Tablet

2lb white granulated sugar

240ml semi-skimmed milk

4oz salted butter

Tin (397g size) sweetened condensed milk

1 generous tablespoon heather honey

2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract

Put all ingredients in a large strong saucepan and heat slowly over a low heat,  stirring all the while.  When the sugar is fully dissolved, bring to the boil and boil rapidly until it ‘boils down’ in the saucepan and goes a rich golden colour, stirring constantly.  Test in a bowl of water – you should be able to push the drop around with your finger without it dissolving.  Remove from heat and beat hard until you feel it start to ‘grain’.  Pour into swiss-roll tins lined with baking parchment.  Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Notes:  Tablet making is an art, perfected over generations in Scotland.  Helensburgh Tablet comes from an old family recipe – generations of sweet-toothed Scots living on the Firth of Clyde.  It is really important not to let it burn, so a pan that has even thickness bottom and sides is important.  Heavy-bottomed pans tend to burn round the edges.   Tate and Lyle (cane) sugar dissolves more readily than Silver Spoon (sugar beet).  It is vital that the sugar is FULLY dissolved before allowing the mixture to boil; otherwise you will end up with a scraunchy final product.  The only way to test it is to taste it, but be careful, BOILING SUGAR BURNS BADLY!!  In the original recipe, golden syrup is used instead of Heather Honey.  Both taste great!

Caution:  This product is addictive.  A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips…..

Ingredients:
227g/8oz caster sugar

3 eggs

227ml/8floz vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

227g/8oz grated courgettes (unpeeled)

340g/12oz plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarb soda

½ tsp salt

1 level tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

85g/3oz walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180C/350F
2. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until thick.
3. Stir in the grated courgettes
4. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl, then add the nuts (if using).  Stir well.
5. Spoon into a 25x18cm/10”x7” buttered tin (or, I use a 2lb loaf tin).
6. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes (nearer 60-75 minutes if using the loaf tin), or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to become completely cold.

Ingredients

Shortbread biscuits (to be crushed) no need to be the expensive ones

100g unsalted butter

1 tbsp clear honey (runny) a bit more or a bit less is fine

1 tbsp icing sugar (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla extract

500g-mascarpone cheese

Topping glaze

2 tbsp clear honey

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

400g strawberries

4 small or 1 large loose removable base tin

Method

1. Crush the biscuits in to crumbs, Heat the unsalted butter and honey together in a pan and when melted and mixed add the biscuit crumbs, stir well.
2. Use 4 metal rings to make small ones, or a 7” or 8” cake tin, divide the crumb mixture between the rings or large tin, press down evenly and firmly, this makes the base.  Set aside
3. In a bowl mix together the sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract and mascarpone cheese. Spoon mixture on top of the biscuit base and smooth over. Leave to set in the fridge for 5 –10 minutes
4. Gently warm the honey and balsamic vinegar together and set aside.
5. To serve, place the cheesecake(s) in the centre of the plate(s) and remove from tin, decorate the top with strawberries and spoon over the honey/balsamic glaze.

If you want to spoil yourself double the ingredients (except the strawberries) and use a very deep cake tin still with a removable base, you might have to put greaseproof paper on the inside to get the cheese cake out but well worth the effort, defiantly one to take to friends if your bringing the dessert. Eat, enjoy

Chicken Tray Roast

8 chicken thighs

For the Sauce:

3 tsp olive oil
10g rosemary (roughly chopped)
2 tsp honey
grated zest and juice of one lemon

Mix ingredients to make up the sauce then pour it over the chicken thighs. Roast the chicken for approximately 45 minutes (or until juices run clear), basting occasionally. Sprinkle with more rosemary before serving.

Try James Martin’s recipes for a rich, moist honey cake: perfect with a cuppa.

Ingredients:

170g/6oz clear honey
140g/5oz butter
85g/3oz light muscovado sugar
2 eggs, beaten
200g/7oz self raising flour, sieved
water

For the icing
55g/2oz icing sugar
1 tbsp clear honey
hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3 and butter and line the bottom of a 7in/18cm cake tin.

Measure the honey, butter and sugar into a large pan. Add a tablespoon of water and heat gently until melted.

Remove from the heat and mix in the eggs and flour.

Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin.

Cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.

While the cake is still warm, make the icing by mixing the sugar and honey together with 2-3 teaspoons of hot water. Trickle over the cake in whatever design takes your fancy.

Make yourself a pot of tea, sit back and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1.35kg (3lb) corner or middle gammon joint
cloves
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
45ml (3tbsp) clear honey
Oven 200C/175C fan/ 400F / gas 6

Directions:

Place the gammon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil then discard the water and rinse the joint. Covert with fresh cold water and bring to the boil again. Reduce the heat and cover the pan then simmer very gently for an hour.

Carefully drain the gammon (you can always keep this liquid for making soup), then let the ham cool a little while you heat the oven to 200C/175C fan/ 400F / gas 6. Lift the ham into a roasting tin, then cut away the skin leaving behind an even layer of fat. Score the fat all over in a criss-cross pattern, then stud cloves all over the ham.

Mix the orange rind and juice with the honey and pour this over the joint, brushing the liquid over the sides as you do so. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the fat is golden brown. Baste the gammon frequently during cooking. Serve hot or cold. If serving the joint cold, continue to baste it with the glaze as it cools.