It’s been ages since I posted a recipe, though I’ve been doing loads of baking. And I’ve been experimenting with fudge, among other things. I LOVE fudge. And it’s surprisingly easy to make. People are put off making it, thinking it’s very complicated, but in fact it has very few ingredients and with a bit of practice it’s a cheap and simple treat that can be made in loads of different flavours. Here is the recipe for a delicious chocolate and orange fudge, made by myself for my little bro’s birthday last week. It’s really scrumptious!
Ingredients:
- 115g unsalted butter
- 300ml full-fat milk
- 150g milk chocolate (broken into pieces)
- 450g granulated sugar
- rind of 1 orange
- juice of 1/2 orange
Method:
Grease a shallow 18cm/7 inch square tin.
Pour the milk into a large saucepan with the chocolate, butter and sugar. (To make fudge you need as large a pan as you can get, as the fudge will travel up the sides as it boils. I use a jam-making pan, which is huge. A large saucepan will do, but it’ll take much longer to cook).
Heat the mixture in the saucepan gently, stirring constantly, until the chocolate and butter have melted and the sugar has completely dissolved.
Bring the mixture to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, ensuring you scoop the mix from the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t stick.
As the mixture turns into fudge you will notice a change in smell, and it will look thicker. To check whether the fudge is ready, you can use a sugar thermometer (the temperature should reach 116C – soft ball stage), but I prefer to test with a bowl of cold water. Drop a small amount of the mixture into the water and then roll it into a ball. If it forms a soft and squidgy ball that doesn’t disintegrate in your fingers, it’s ready. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to as much as 40 minutes, depending on the size of your pan, how quickly it was simmered, etc.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the orange rind and juice, stirring quickly. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. (This is the part where fudge can be ruined if you leave it to sit too long. It’ll start to solidify and crack. Don’t leave it any longer than 5 minutes.)
Using a wooden spoon, beat the fudge until it begins to lose its shine and becomes thick and creamy. (This can take a long time and it’s hard work, but don’t be tempted to stop before it’s done. You will definitely notice the difference when the fudge has changed.)
Immediately turn the fudge into the tin and leave it to cool. When it is cool, mark the surface into 1 inch squares and leave it to set for a few hours. When it’s set, cut it into squares with a sharp knife.
Radical Ramblings 