Soapsmith's Homemade Fudge

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.

Thanks for visiting,

Bonnie