• Serves: 4

• Prep time: 25 mins

  plus cooling time

• Cooking time: 15 mins

• Total time: 40 mins

• Skill level: Easy peasy

• Costs: Cheap as chips

That’s goodtoknow

Add finely grated orange rind for a zest twist, and try rolling the mixture in different coloured cake decorations for a colourful display.

Ingredients

• 397g can sweetened condensed milk
• 4tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼tsp salt
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Chocolate strands for decoration

1. Pour the condensed milk into a heavy based saucepan. Sift the cocoa powder on top and mix in along with the salt.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, over a low heat, keeping the mixture barely simmering to prevent burning and sticking and cook for 10-15 mins, until mixture becomes very thick and shiny and starts to pull away from the bottom and sides of the pan.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and the vanilla. Scrape into a heatproof bowl and leave to cool then chill for about 30 mins.
4. Divide the mixture into approx.20 pieces and each piece into a ball – if the mixture is too sticky to handle, brush your hands light with a little vegetable oil.
5. Put the chocolate strands on a small plate and roll each sweetie in the strands to coat all over then place in a small cake case and chill until ready to serve.