I've sung the praises of peanut butter fudge on here before,
but now it's time to talk about the creamy, the delicious, the
original: chocolate fudge. What started out as an "oops" in the
kitchen from a bungled bunch of caramels has become one of the
country's most beloved treats. You can eat and sample different
flavors and kinds, but it always comes back to the original, and
the original can be a very picky difficult candy to try and
master. Chocolate fudge – like toffee, divinity, caramel, and
brittle – begins with sugar. You add various other ingredients
to the sugar depending on the candy and boil until the desired
consistency is reached. A lot more goes into making fudge then
just the right ingredients and flavors and time and stirring.
There's also a bit of science and weather involved. You
shouldn't make fudge on a humid day because this could cause the
chocolate fudge to be grainy. And if you know anything about the
South – particularly the Gulf Coast, it is always humid here.
So, what can you do? And then there is the problem of boiling
sugar tending to crystallize. Now, thank goodness there are
things that can be done to slow down crystallization – not much
luck with the humidity though. The most popular way is to add
corn syrup and cream to the mixture. And yet another is to brush
down the sides of the pan with cold water if there are any
crystals forming…and do not stir the syrup once it boils. And if
you manage to boil your sugar mixture without the dreaded
crystals forming, you still must take utmost care to prevent it
from cooling too quickly because that will also affect the
chocolate fudge's texture. So, why would you go through all this
trouble for a piece of candy? Because it is worth the care and
trouble it takes to make chocolate fudge. One bite and you would
agree.
Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan. Set aside. Combine sugar,
cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan. Stir to blend, then bring
to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer. Do not
stir again. Place candy thermometer in pan and cook until
temperature reaches 238 degrees F(114 degrees C). If you are not
using a thermometer, then cook until a drop of this mixture in a
cup of cold water forms a soft ball. Feel the ball with your
fingers to make sure it is the right consistency. It should
flatten when pressed between your fingers. Remove from heat. Add
butter or margarine and vanilla extract. Beat with a wooden
spoon until the fudge loses its sheen. Do not under beat. Pour
into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into about 60 squares.
This is a really great and delicious recipe, but it can be
somewhat difficult if you are not familiar with sugar candy
cooking. There are easier chocolate fudge recipes out there…ones
that call for ingredients that minimize the chance of crystal
formation and some you can even make in the microwave:
Easy Microwave Fudge
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Grease a 9x9 inch dish. In a microwave safe bowl, stir together
confectioners' sugar and cocoa. Pour milk over mixture and place
butter in bowl. Do not mix. Microwave until butter is melted, 2
minutes. Stir in vanilla and stir vigorously until smooth. Pour
into prepared dish. Chill in freezer 10 minutes before cutting.
About The Author: Tanner's Pecan is owned by Danny Fox and
Michelle Parks and is proud to offer a variety of holiday gift
baskets, peanut butter fudge, chocolate pecan pie, pecan
pralines, roasted pecans, and peanut butter fudge. Visit us
today at http://www.tannerspecan.com for the best chocolate
fudge.
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1 comment:
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