Its rainy and gray and cold here in Seattle. So, I wanted to make fudge to go with my hot spiced wine.
I know there is a fudge recipe on the back of every jar of marshmallow cream but I wanted to make it from scratch without re-mixing somebody else's end products (ie marshmallows and chocolate chips)
To that end I turned to Ida Bailey Allen. But Ida didn't warn me that candy making is an art form! It takes practice. The recipe she gives takes only about 10 minutes but its 10 very important minutes and prep is essential. The first time I didn't have everything I needed sitting 12 inches from me. 3 feet from the cook is to far. The next time I used turbinado instead of fine granulated sugar. This gave me crunchy candy because the crystals were too big to dissolve in the time allotted. Last night...... I GOT it!
Here's Ida's recipe and some basic instructions learned by .........well.... screwing up.
CANDIES OF THE FUDGE FORMATION (Ida's title... not mine)
3 cups fine grain sugar
2 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate (this makes a milk chocolate fudge. Add another ounce for darker fudge)
3 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts
If you are a beginner like me a candy thermometer is a must have
Chop your nuts and put them in a bowl (stop laughing Jimmy)
Put your butter and vanilla in a small bowl
Grease a flat pan with butter,set aside
Put your sugar and milk in a large pot and bring to a boil stirring constantly, scraping bottom of pan while you stir (seriously, don't stop or the whole thing will go south)
Boil til candy thermometer says 236 degrees
remove from heat immediately and add pre-measured butter and vanilla
beat fudge for three to five minutes... longer if you can.
When you are at the end of the beating, add your nuts and mix well. If you add these to soon you get nut butter
Pour into pre-buttered pan. Let cool in out of the way place for a couple of hours
Ida says the trick to good fudge is to cook it shorter and beat it longer. I use my hand mixer and start on low (don't want to be splattering blistering candy all over yourself and the kitchen) gradually increase speed. After a minute or two your fudge will begin to look fluffy instead of saucy.
Don't forget to pre-measure everything before you turn on the heat because candy doesn't give you enough time to pour the vanilla into a measuring spoon.
PS....... ADDENDUM......10/16/10
I was told by my candy making neighbor that I need to drop the temp on this recipe to 212 degrees to make creamier fudge. She said only do 236 when using heavy cream. Back to the kitchen to try again!
I know there is a fudge recipe on the back of every jar of marshmallow cream but I wanted to make it from scratch without re-mixing somebody else's end products (ie marshmallows and chocolate chips)
To that end I turned to Ida Bailey Allen. But Ida didn't warn me that candy making is an art form! It takes practice. The recipe she gives takes only about 10 minutes but its 10 very important minutes and prep is essential. The first time I didn't have everything I needed sitting 12 inches from me. 3 feet from the cook is to far. The next time I used turbinado instead of fine granulated sugar. This gave me crunchy candy because the crystals were too big to dissolve in the time allotted. Last night...... I GOT it!
Here's Ida's recipe and some basic instructions learned by .........well.... screwing up.
CANDIES OF THE FUDGE FORMATION (Ida's title... not mine)
3 cups fine grain sugar
2 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate (this makes a milk chocolate fudge. Add another ounce for darker fudge)
3 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts
If you are a beginner like me a candy thermometer is a must have
Chop your nuts and put them in a bowl (stop laughing Jimmy)
Put your butter and vanilla in a small bowl
Grease a flat pan with butter,set aside
Put your sugar and milk in a large pot and bring to a boil stirring constantly, scraping bottom of pan while you stir (seriously, don't stop or the whole thing will go south)
Boil til candy thermometer says 236 degrees
remove from heat immediately and add pre-measured butter and vanilla
beat fudge for three to five minutes... longer if you can.
When you are at the end of the beating, add your nuts and mix well. If you add these to soon you get nut butter
Pour into pre-buttered pan. Let cool in out of the way place for a couple of hours
Ida says the trick to good fudge is to cook it shorter and beat it longer. I use my hand mixer and start on low (don't want to be splattering blistering candy all over yourself and the kitchen) gradually increase speed. After a minute or two your fudge will begin to look fluffy instead of saucy.
Don't forget to pre-measure everything before you turn on the heat because candy doesn't give you enough time to pour the vanilla into a measuring spoon.
PS....... ADDENDUM......10/16/10
I was told by my candy making neighbor that I need to drop the temp on this recipe to 212 degrees to make creamier fudge. She said only do 236 when using heavy cream. Back to the kitchen to try again!
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