Mandy

I will order some of the valrhona chocolate next month from a company that I found online. I'll let you know how it turns out! Thanks for the info!!!!

Dear Everyone: Now that I have the science of making fudge down to where it does not crystallize on me, I am now focusing on the taste of the chocolate. I'm looking for a name of a couverture chocolate that I can use to make a creamy, melt in your mouth fudge. Does anyone know what kind of chocolate Rocky mountain uses? I bought some of there fudge and that is the taste that I am trying to achieve. Just a smooth, not to over powering taste of chocolate. I used Guittard chocolate (don't remember if it is dark chocolate-bitter chocolate or what) but that came out not tasting right-a bitter ahhh taste. I also used Felchlin Gastro 58% Rondo and that is more along the lines of the creamy, melt in your mouth taste that I am trying to achieve. Since there are so many different chocolates out on the market, can anyone direct me to the chocolate that I can use? Please provide a name, coco %? Thanks Mandy..

Ruth, I was looking at your chocolates!! They look soooo gooood! I like your assorted flavors! I'll have to order some sometime! Have a good day! Mandy~

Well,I tried this again today and I had better success. It took a long...45 minutes for the sugar to melt down. I guess when I tried it the other day, I rushed it. I just kept the temp low to almost boiling. I'm at 6,000 feet, so I did not want to cook it too high/fast. Although it has a milky texture, I will still cut back on the sugar. It has a slight after taste of sugar but not bad. Your teeth would come down on a grain of sugar. I don't particularly like that. Maybe it will taste better as it cures? I added the marshmallow cream and I really like the texture that it gave to the fudge. If anyone is interested I got my recipes from http://www.skaarupfudge.com. The crazy Mamie fudge recipe is the one that I tried. Let me know what you think of there recipes? As it was cooking, once in a while, I took a pastry brush and washed down the sides to help with the grit. But it formed back so quickly. I cleaned the sides before I went to pour it out. I rubbed the sugar syrup in between my fingers and I did not detect the grittiness. Maybe some crystals from the side of the pan found there way into the hot syrup? The other recipe that I got for fudge is at www.baking911.com. They also have other great cooking tips. I really like her creamy fudge recipe there. This one just melts in your mouth, really creamy! (It does not take the marshmallow cream) I may just stick to this one. Thank you for all that wrote. I appreciate the tips that more experienced candy makers have!! Tomorrow I will try caramel.... Thanks again...Mandy

Sounds weird - I would think it should have dissolved. Maybe I did not have the heat up high enough? I had my electric stove on slightly above number 2 and at that temp, it kept the sugar to a slight boil. I live at high altitude so I did not want it up too high because it will cook off water too fast. Maybe I can try it again tomorrow. I can not even eat the fudge. It's like slurping sugar with a straw. Thanks for your reply. M~

I tried another recipe that calls for 2 2/3 cups of sugar and 3/4 of evaporated milk. I stirred and stirred(constantly)on low for half an hour. Hoping this would melt the sugar. The sugar did not want to dissolve. I rubbed the sugar in between my fingers and it was grainy. How long does it take for the sugar to dissolve in your recipe?? Did I rush it? I got it from skaarupfudge.com. I made the crazy Mamie fudge recipe. Another recipe that I have calls for only 1 2/3 cups of sugar with 2/3 cups of half and half. This recipe I was able to melt all of the sugar with no grainyness. I would like a creamy, melt in your mouth taste. Is the ratio sugar to evaporated milk too much since I want a creamy fudge taste? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks Mandy