Fudge

[The Lady Pleaser]

Hi

Does anyone have a good fudge recipe

I have been playing about with various recipes for a while and not hit on the perfect one yet. Would prefer one using cream rather than condensed milk but that's not essential if it is nice.

It is for something I can use as petit fours (belive it or not) so interesting additions would be most welcome. I have a sugar thermometer should anyone be interested. UK weights/volumes would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ron

[Wendy DeBord]

Well.........I've made several fudge recipes.......I have one I like-but I don't know that everyone else would like it as I do. Who's recipes have you tried already, and wasn't crazy about?

I'm not sure I understand-how do you used fudge with your petite fours? Interesting additions.......how advanced are you meaning? Do you mean add in's or different types of fudge?

[Ms Neato]

The recipe I usually use for chocolate fudge, at least, is 2 cups sugar + 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (I use dutch processed cocoa; normal works just as well); which get combined; then add about 2 tablespoons of butter and a half cup of milk. That gets heated to softball; then about a teaspoon of vanilla essence gets added before beating.

[The Lady Pleaser]

Hi

Thanks for your ideas.

Who's recipes have you tried already, and wasn't crazy about?

I've tried a few of the sugar + butter + cream/milk recipes and also the one below which I got from a pastry chef at a fine dining restaurant in London. The simpler recipes I find a bit too "candyish" for petits fours whereas the one below I have not managed to get to work the way I would like it...its often far too soft...possibly because of the glucose?

Glucose – 680g

Caster sugar – 680g

Double cream - .75pt

Soft butter – 90g

White choc – 454g

Cook glucose, sugar and cream to 250 deg F

Take off heat

Add butter and stir in

Add choc and stir in.

Pour into cling film lined tray and refrigerate

I'm not sure I understand-how do you used fudge with your petite fours?

Basically I just mean something to offer with coffee when people come over for a bit to eat.

Interesting additions.......how advanced are you meaning?  Do you mean add in's or different types of fudge?

I really mean things to add....I've tried rum and raisin obviously but would be interested in a few more unusual ideas.

Thanks again.

Ron

[Rachel Perlow]

Hmm, if you don't want a candy type of fudge, perhaps what you are looking for is a dense flourless chocolate cake of some sort. You could cut that into squares, just like fudge, only it's richer and chocolatier without being overly sweet.

[Flossie]

Ron, if you have access to Delia Smith's books, there is a very good recipe for chocolate, fruit and nut fudge. It's at the end of Book 3 in the How to Cook series and also in her new book in the Collection series. Also, Claire McDonald (Scottish cook and writer) has a good recipe for vanilla fudge in one of her books - I think it's 'Sweet Things'. I've used this recipe to make huge amounts of fudge, cut into heart shapes, to give as favours at weddings.

[The Lady Pleaser]

Hi Flossie

Thanks very much. I'll have a look. So far most of the recipes I have some across seem to make the kind of fudge you get in tourist centres, you know the kind where there are sugar granules. I want something with more of the texture of cheese. The recipes I describe above gives the perfect texture but it doesn't set properly.

I'll give these two a try.

Thanks again

Ron

[Flossie]

Ron,

Delia's choc, fruit & nut gives a 'cheesy' texture; you also get a good trayful for your work and you don't have to beat the mixture furiously. I think it would probably benefit from a drop or two of rum as well, which I must try next time I'm making it. Claire McDonald's recipe is a bit more granular but I'm very partial to it!

All the best.

[Abra]

Flossie, would you post the Delia recipe? I've never imagined "cheesy" fudge.

[fifi]

This one may have the texture you are after. The texture is what everyone loves.

[Wendy DeBord]

I'm not that well versed in fudge but if I'm understanding you correctly the type of recipe Fifi posted should be what your looking for.

Off the top of my head theres two kinds of fudge. One type is cooked to temp. let cool to another temp. then beaten to the right texture and left to set. This type gives you a more of a granula firmish type of fudge. I'd also describe it as classic fudge.

Then there are quick recipes, like what Fifi posted. They usually combine marshmellow or fluff with chocolate and your basicly just looking to melt the ingredients together (not cooking to a specific temp.) stir and pour in the pan to set. These are typically smooth soft fudges.

I believe you can find decent recipes for both these styles of fudge online at major chocolate companies web sites. I know both Hersheys and Nestles have published these recipes.

As for add ins...............well that can could become an endless pairing contest. You could use dried fruits (cut into bits if their large), any salted nut, coconut, rice crispies or any cereals, granola, bits of candy bars, bits of cookies, sprinkle coarse sea salt on top, extracts, oils, emulsions, pistachio paste, almond paste, liquours, etc........

[nightscotsman]

Flossie, would you post the Delia recipe? I've never imagined "cheesy" fudge.

Well, then there's always "Chudge".

No, I haven't made it myself, but I confess I've wanted to ever since I heard about it.

[The Lady Pleaser]

Looking at the Delia Smith recipie the photos in that seems to be exactly the right sort of texture that I was after.

Thanks everyone

Ron

[Conor]

Happy fudging!

[fifi]

Off the top of my head theres two kinds of fudge. One type is cooked to temp. let cool to another temp. then beaten to the right texture and left to set. This type gives you a more of a granula firmish type of fudge. I'd also describe it as classic fudge.

Then there are quick recipes, like what Fifi posted. They usually combine marshmellow or fluff with chocolate and your basicly just looking to melt the ingredients together (not cooking to a specific temp.) stir and pour in the pan to set. These are typically smooth soft fudges.

Thanks for that. You have clarified for me some of the differences in fudgedom that I hadn't thought about before. I am definitely "challenged" when it comes to candy making. (I only make two, this fudge and the Mexican burnt sugar candy.)

It is probably a combination of the polysaccarhides in the marshmallow and the fact that you don't really "cook" the sugar that makes for the smooth texture in the microwave fudge recipes.

Well, then there's always "Chudge".

This one escapes me as well. I have always wondered about it. I can't imagine something as salty as Velveeta in fudge. I may have to try it.

[CompassRose]

I actually tried the Velveeta fudge. It was on sort of a dare from another board.

Amazingly enough, it is not so bad. (Although I used unsalted butter. I think it would be a bit over the edge with salted.) The salt, or maybe the confectioner's sugar, makes it taste sort of "from a mix", but it certainly isn't the worst kind of "instant candy" I've ever had. It is very non-Velveeta, at any rate.

I brought it to work, and it was devoured by ravening hordes, who told me it was "fabulous". Me and A. ate our fair share too.

[chefette]

Try this link to Jacques Torres' Chocolate Caramel Mou recipe

http://food4.epicurious.com/HyperNews/get/...00/50007/1.html

This recipe is slightly different than the one I have used before (use of cocoa butter and dipping) so I will look up the recipe this evening and check, but it produces a very nice textured fudge-like confection that is nice as a petit four.

Traditional 'real' american fudge is also quite nice when done well. Here is how I have altered the traditional Harvard fudge recipe.

2 cups sugar

2 T light corn syrup

2/3 c milk

1/4 tsp salt

(normally one would also add 2 oz unsweetened chocolate-but don't)

cook to soft ball

drop in 10 oz very good, dark chocolate (I like Cluizel 85% or 99%) you can use unsweetened but would probably want to cut back to 8oz.

2 T unsalted butter

1 t vanilla extract

stir to melt the chocolate

you can allow this to cool slightly

Pour out onto a large marble and work with an offset spatula and scraper (as if you were tabling chocolate) until it is cool and looses its gloss. You will see that it suddenly starts to thicken and is ready for the buttered pan - It takes a while so be patient

spread into a buttered 8" pan - cover and let set up at room temp for about an hour. Keep wrapped well. this makes a very smooth, dense chocolaty fudge.

The flavor is entirely dependent on the quality of the chocolate though so you need to get a very intense very dark chocolate.

[The Lady Pleaser]

Thanks everyone I didn’t expect so many helpful suggestions and recipes.

There is certainly a lot of fudge making to be done. Bit worried where I am going to put all the fudge I make!! I am going to have to find some boxes or something to put it all in.

This can only result in a long evening of fudge packing.