Make your own homemade Cough Drops

Here is an old fashioned alternative boiled cough sweets.

To make around 24 pieces

• 1 handful horehound leaves and stems, washed and chopped
• 16 floz/450ml water
• 1 1/4 lb lump or soft brown sugar
• 2oz/60g butter

In a medium size saucepan, boil the horehound leaves in the water for 30 minutes. Strain and discard the leaves. Add the sugar and boil for a further 30 minutes, or until a spoonful of the mixture hardens when dropped into cold water. Stir in the butter, remove from the heat, and transfer to a buttered shallow pan. When cool, crack the toffee into pieces and wrap each one in wax paper. Store in a tightly covered jar.