Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (2024)

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (1)

Tablet Ice-cream. Or would it be Tablet Ice Cream? Either way, we’re pretty sure this recipe doesn’t really require much more introduction or explanation than that!

Scottish Tablet is a melt-in-your-mouth sweet confection that’s a bit like fudge but harder. It was one of the first traditional recipes that we made for Scottish Scran, and we’ve since made a Tablet Cheesecake too, but making a Tablet Ice-Cream has been on our list for a while too!

Making ice-cream sounds difficult, and there’s no denying it can be. The easiest way to make traditional ice-cream is with an ice-cream machine that churns it for you, which is an essential part of the ice-cream making process.

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Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (2)

How to make no-churn ice-cream

Since not everyone has or wants to invest in an ice-cream maker we wanted to make a more accessible ice-cream recipe and after a bit of research, we stumbled upon “no-churn” ice-cream. It’s deliciously creamy and not at all icy, and it’s made with just TWO ingredients.

Yes, you read that right. We weren’t joking when we called this recipe “super easy”. Once you make the ice-cream you can add whatever flavour you like, which in our case, is tasty chunks of tablet and a little vanilla.

We used tablet from our own recipe which you can find here. This recipe uses around a third of the tablet so you’ll have some leftover too. Obviously we’re biased and think our family recipe tastes the best, but you can, of course, use a shop-bought tablet to speed up the process. If you can’t find tablet then a hard fudge would also work.

This recipe is super fast to make and if you want to serve it for dessert to guests then don’t tell anyone it’s not “real” ice-cream, we doubt they’ll actually notice (let us know!).

You can keep it for months in the freezer, the main issue is making sure it’s well covered so it doesn’t turn icy on the top. However, chances are it won’t last that long!

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (3)

Things you’ll need to make Tablet Ice-Cream

  • Electric Hand Mixer
  • Large Bowl
  • Loaf tin or another similar container to freeze it in. It doesn’t have to have a lid but it’s useful.

Ingredients for Tablet Ice-Cream

  • 600ml double cream (2.5 cups heavy cream)
  • 1 x 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk (14oz can)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
  • 250g Scottish Tablet (around 2 cups)
Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (4)

How to make Tablet Ice-Cream – Step by step method

If you’re making your own tablet then you can follow our traditional tablet recipe here. Make it with enough time for it to cool fully, ideally the day before. Just make sure you don’t eat it all before you get to making the ice-cream!

For the ice-cream, put the cream and condensed milk together in a large bowl. Add in the vanilla essence (if you’re using it, it helps to give the ice-cream itself a little flavour but it’s not 100% necessary).

Use an electric beater to whisk the mixture until it’s really thick, with peaks forming when you remove the beater.

Break the tablet up into chunks. We used chunks around 1 centimetre or a little less. You should be able to do this (carefully) with a sharp knife. Around 250 grams is plenty to have a bit of tablet in each bite, you can, of course, add as much or as little as you like to get your perfect flavour.

Gently fold the tablet into the cream mixture, try to keep as much air in as possible by not overbeating the mix.

Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, cover with cling film, and put in the freezer for a minimum of 5 hours. You can then use an ice-cream scoop or large spoon to serve. No-churn ice-cream is known to melt a little faster than traditional ice-cream but we tested it and didn’t find it was a problem. In any case, it turns back into a cream which is still perfectly edible! If anything we had to leave it for 5 minutes before serving to allow it to soften a little.

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (5)

Variations

As with many of our recipes, we like to give you options. The main variations to this tablet ice-cream recipe would be using more or less tablet, and vanilla essence. As with many Scottish recipes, a shot of whisky wouldn’t go amiss either.

We plan on trying this with some other Scottish desserts like Cranachan or Caledonian Cream but let us know if you try something too!

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (6)

Yield: 10

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (7)

Making this no-churn Scottish Tablet Ice-Cream is so easy! It's only four ingredients and takes about 10 minutes, plus chill time.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 600ml double cream (2.5 cups heavy cream)
  • 1 x 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk (14oz can)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
  • 250g Scottish Tablet (around 2 cups)

Instructions

  1. If you’re making your own tablet then you can follow our traditional tablet recipe here. Make it with enough time for it to cool fully, ideally the day before.
  2. Now for the ice-cream. Put the cream and condensed milk together in a large bowl.
  3. Add in the vanilla essence (if you’re using it, it helps to give the ice cream itself a little flavour but it’s not 100% necessary).
  4. Use an electric beater to whisk the mixture until it’s really thick, with peaks forming when you remove the beater.
  5. Cut the tablet up into chunks. We used chunks around 1 centimeter or a little less. Around 250grams is plenty to have a bit of tablet in each bite, but use more or less if you like of course!
  6. Fold the tablet into the cream mixture, taking care not to stir too much and take air out.
  7. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin, cover with cling film, and put in the freezer for a minimum of 5 hours.
  8. Take out of the freezer and rest for 5 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

Notes

No-churn ice-cream is known to melt a little faster than traditional ice-cream, but it's unlikely it'll last long anyway!

The ice-cream will keep in the freezer for months, just make sure it's covered.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 0gSugar: 40gProtein: 6g

The nutritional data in this recipe is provided by a third party and these values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed.

Super Easy Tablet Ice-Cream Recipe - Scottish Scran (2024)

FAQs

What is Scottish tablet ice cream? ›

Traditionally Scottish with an Italian twist. Chunks of smooth butter tablet mixed into a creamy panna cotta ice cream. Scottish Tablet.

What is the difference between Scottish fudge and Scottish tablet? ›

While fudge and Scottish tablet may share a common foundation of sugar and butter, they each possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. Fudge captivates with its smooth and creamy texture, while Scottish tablet delights with its crumbly and grainy mouthfeel.

Why is my Scottish tablet grainy? ›

The best Scottish Tablet should be smooth and melt in your mouth. A grainy texture normally means that your sugar has melted too quickly.

What is tablet from Scotland? ›

Tablet (taiblet in Scots) is a medium-hard, sugary confection from Scotland. Tablet is usually made from sugar, condensed milk, and butter, which is boiled to a soft-ball stage and allowed to crystallise. It is often flavoured with vanilla and sometimes has nut pieces in it.

What flavour is Scottish tablet? ›

Traditional Scottish tablet is a sweet confectionery made with butter, sugar, and condensed milk, cooked to a caramelised consistency. It has a crumbly and creamy texture with a sweet, buttery flavour – similar to fudge but with a more firm and grainy texture.

Why is it called Scottish tablet? ›

Tablet is occasionally referred to as Scottish or Scots tablet or as Swiss Milk tablet, since some people call condensed milk “Swiss Milk”. For most Scots, tablet is their favourite sweet, especially when home-made.

Does Scottish Tablet need to be refrigerated? ›

There's no need to keep the tablet in the fridge, in fact, it's much better if you don't. Just keep it in a cool room, out of direct sunshine and away from strong smells.

How long does Scottish Tablet keep fresh? ›

How long does Scottish Tablet Keep? Tablet is over 50% sugar and because sugar is a natural preservative, it means that if it is kept in an airtight tin and stored at room temperature, it can last for around 10 days. If you keep it in the fridge, however, it can keep for a few weeks!

Does Scottish Tablet freeze? ›

Yes, Scottish tablet can be frozen to extend its shelf life. It is recommended to wrap individual pieces or place them in an airtight container before freezing. When ready to consume, allow the tablet to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Can you remelt Scottish tablet? ›

If you pour it into the tin and it doesn't set, don't worry, just reboil for a little while longer (I've done this a few times) Also good with a bit of fresh ginger added at the beginning, flavours the tablet beautifully and leaves little exciting nuggets to bite into!

Why is my Scottish tablet too soft? ›

The most common reason for this is that you haven't taken your tablet to a high enough temperature when cooking it. The Scottish Tablet mixture needs to be not only boiling for a decent time (approx. 20 mins), it also needs to reach a very high temperature to ensure it will set.

Why won t my Scottish tablet set? ›

This is a really important step because if you don't get the mixture hot enough, the tablet won't set properly later on. The mixture will rise with heat and expand as it comes to the boil. Then, turn the heat down to a “brisk simmer” or medium heat for about 20 minutes.

What is fudge called in Scotland? ›

Some people will try to tell you that tablet is a form of fudge. However, proper tablet aficionados (and we have been doing a lot of sampling) will tell you that there is a clear difference in texture between tablet and fudge. Fudge tends to be softer, while tablet has a grainier and more brittle texture.

Can you put Scottish tablet in coffee? ›

There you have Scottish Tablet. It's a sweet and comforting treat, which is a nice alternative to toffee or fudge. And goes great with a cup of coffee. To be honest, I have found tablet making a very perplexing process, and have luckily hit on a recipe (with my own tweaks) which works for me.

When should I eat Scottish tablet? ›

Also known as Scots tablet or Swiss Milk tablet, it is best enjoyed after dinner and is often seen at Scottish weddings or other celebratory dinners.

Does Scottish tablet freeze? ›

Yes, Scottish tablet can be frozen to extend its shelf life. It is recommended to wrap individual pieces or place them in an airtight container before freezing. When ready to consume, allow the tablet to thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

What is the Scottish slang for ice cream cone? ›

POKEY-HAT, n. comb. An ice-cream cone or cornet (m.Sc., Kcb. 1966).

What is another name for a Scottish tablet? ›

You may occasionally hear of tablet being called 'Swiss Milk tablet' but don't worry – this doesn't mean that tablet's origins lie closer to The Alps. The 'Swiss Milk' part refers to a name that condensed milk is sometimes known by.

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