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Sri Lankan milk toffee
කිරි ටොෆි (kiri toffee): crumbly squares of condensed milk, sugar and butter cooked to a soft fudge with cashews and cardamom
Every school fair, office bake sale and Avurudu table in Sri Lanka has a plate of milk toffee, the pale golden squares that are firm when you pick them up yet melt away in a sweet, slightly grainy crumble in your mouth. A tin of condensed milk is cooked with sugar and butter, stirred constantly for half an hour until it thickens and leaves the pan, then flavoured with chopped cashews and a whisper of cardamom and vanilla. It is simple enough for children to help with, as long as an adult does the hot stirring. Stopping too early is the trap almost everyone falls into, leaving a soft, chewy fudge instead of the proper crumbly snap. Cook until the mixture rolls into a ball, turns a shade darker and a drop set in cold water is firm. Chef's tip: mark the squares with a buttered knife while the toffee is still warm, because once it cools it will only break into rough pieces.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the toffee
- 1 tsp butterfor the tray
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk1 tin
- 7 oz sugar
- 1 ¾ oz unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ oz cashewsfinely chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 /4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Grease a 20 cm square tray with 1 tsp butter.
Step 2: Put 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 7 oz sugar and 1 ¾ oz unsalted butter in a heavy non-stick pan over a medium-low heat and stir constantly for 25–30 minutes until very thick, pale gold and it pulls away from the pan in one mass.
30 minStep 3: Stir in 1 ¾ oz cashews, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 /4 tsp ground cardamom and cook for 1–2 more minutes until a drop in cold water sets firm.
2 minStep 4: Quickly spread into the tray about 1.5 cm thick and smooth the top.
Step 5: While still warm, mark into small squares with a buttered knife. Leave to cool completely, then break along the lines.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 115 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sri Lankan milk toffee take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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