Recipe: Coconut Ice

I remember my mother making this when I was a child. It is so sweet!

• 350g (¾ pound) of sugar, preferably fine baker’s sugar
• 150ml (¼ pint) milk
• 125g (4oz) coconut
• 1 or 2 drops of vanilla essence

Put the sugar and milk in a saucepan on a low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Put this into a basin, and add the coconut and the vanilla. Beat until you have a thick syrupy mess. Spread into a greased tin, I used a foil loaf tin. You can make a second batch, adding some red food colouring, and pour a second layer into the tin. Allow to cool until solid, then cut into small cubes.

I got this recipe from a Farmhouse Kitchen book, which is a compilation of recipes sent in by viewers of the Yorkshire Television show, published in 1982. Some are weird, some very traditionally British, many are family recipes.