Hello friends,
To continue with my homemade Christmas cookies posts, today - instructions and recipes for homemade fudge.
I always include homemade fudge with my cookie deliveries. I make the classic Chocolate Walnut Fudge, my own formulated Peanut Butter Fudge and Peanutbutter Meltaway Fudge.
To make fudge from scratch, there are techniques that I use for that perfect creamy delicious fudge. These procedures can be used with any fudge recipe you want to use. The results will always yield success.
Tips for perfect fudge:
-Always use a candy thermometer. You cook the fudge to soft ball stage, which is 240 degrees.
-Use a heavy bottom pot. If you do not have a heavy bottom pot, you will have to stir constantly to avoid scorching. It works best to not stir the fudge constantly once it begins to boil so a heavy bottom pot on low hear is ideal. Make sure you have plenty of room in the pot for boiling. Just light give it a stir clearing the bottom of the pot so it doesn't scorch - maybe once every 4 minutes or so.
-Start with your milk/cream, butter and sugars. The chocolate, peanutbutter, nuts etc will be added at the end.
- Stir the mixture until all the sugars are dissolved over low heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring to a full rolling boil over medium low heat.
-Use a pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pot with water to avoid the crystalized sugar that forms during the first stages of cooking.
-Once the mixture comes to a full boil, it will rise up in the pot, be sure you use a large enough vessel to handle the expansion. Just lower the heat, lightly stir a few time just scraping bottom of the pot so it doesn't scorch and watch the thermometer for soft ball stage.
-Once the mixture reaches 240 degrees the fudge will be reduced in volume, thick and rich. You can drop some into a bowl of cold water to check for soft ball stage. You should be able to pick up the drop without it dissolving. Once you can do that, it is ready.
-Now, this is very important to avoid grainy sugary texture in your finished fudge. Remove the pot from the heat - do not stir! Add your butters, peanut butter, marshmallow, vanilla etc. Do not stir. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed until the thermometer reads 110 degrees. This takes a long time but it will result in a creamy dreamy fudge without the grainy sugar crystals forming.
-Once the thermometer reads 110 degrees, it is time to start stirring. Use your muscles and stir until the fudge is well blended, perfectly smooth, thick and glossy. Pour into a buttered pan and allow to cool.
It takes some effort to make fudge but it is so worth it.
My recipes:
Bonnie Bartley's Peanutbutter Fudge
4 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 12 oz canned milk
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/2 stick butter or margarine
combine in heavy pot, reduce heat to low, stir sparingly just to keep the bottom from scorching and cook to 240 degrees-soft ball stage
remove from heat-do not stir-add:
1/2 cup of peanut butter (you can add more or less to your preference)
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
(you can also add marshmallow creme about a cup or so, I prefer it without the marshmallow but I make it both ways)
allow the pot to sit untouched until the thermometer reads 110 degrees
Then stir well until the fudge is thick, smooth and glossy. Pour into a buttered dish, cool and cut. I use a glass pan that measures 8 X 11.
Million Dollar Chocolate Walnut Fudge
4 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 12 oz canned milk
Combine in heavy bottom pan and bring to full rolling boil, cook for 6 more minutes
Remove from heat and add:
12 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate
12 oz of milk chocolate or German sweet chocolate
2 cups of marshmallow cream
2 cups of chopped walnuts
Stir until well combined and smooth. Pour into a buttered 9 X 12 pan, cool at room temp until firm. Cut into squares and store in air tight container.
And finally, a fudge recipe that anyone can make. No fail as it is just melt and pour into a pan. This isn't a made from scratch homemade fudge but it is yummy!
Peanutbutter Meltaway Fudge
One pound of milk chocolate
One pound of white chocolate or peanut butter flavored chips/discs
One 18 oz. jar of Jif peanutbutter
Melt the chocolates in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds.
Once completely melted, stir in the peanutbutter.
Pour into a buttered pan and cool in the refrigerator until firm.
Couldn't be any easier!
I hope you try homemade fudge.
Watch my blog for more posts and recipes for Christmas cookies, Polish nut rolls and more.
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
(you can also add marshmallow creme about a cup or so, I prefer it without the marshmallow but I make it both ways)
allow the pot to sit untouched until the thermometer reads 110 degrees
Then stir well until the fudge is thick, smooth and glossy. Pour into a buttered dish, cool and cut. I use a glass pan that measures 8 X 11.
4 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 12 oz canned milk
Combine in heavy bottom pan and bring to full rolling boil, cook for 6 more minutes
Remove from heat and add:
12 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate
12 oz of milk chocolate or German sweet chocolate
2 cups of marshmallow cream
2 cups of chopped walnuts
Stir until well combined and smooth. Pour into a buttered 9 X 12 pan, cool at room temp until firm. Cut into squares and store in air tight container.
And finally, a fudge recipe that anyone can make. No fail as it is just melt and pour into a pan. This isn't a made from scratch homemade fudge but it is yummy!
One pound of milk chocolate
One pound of white chocolate or peanut butter flavored chips/discs
One 18 oz. jar of Jif peanutbutter
Melt the chocolates in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds.
Once completely melted, stir in the peanutbutter.
Pour into a buttered pan and cool in the refrigerator until firm.
Couldn't be any easier!
I hope you try homemade fudge.
Watch my blog for more posts and recipes for Christmas cookies, Polish nut rolls and more.
Thanks for visiting,
Bonnie
Easy no fail fudge for beginners:
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