Old Fashioned Fudge


1/3 cup cocoa
3 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup light cream or half and half
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)


Combine cocoa, sugar, salt, cream and corn syrup in heavy pan. Stir to dissolve sugar, bring to a boil, cover pan with a lid to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan. Remove lid and cook to softball stage or 232-234 degrees (softball stage may be determined by dropping a small amount of hot candy into a cup of cold water – candy should be firm enough to form a soft ball which may be picked up with fingers). Butter marble slab or a large baking sheet which has sides, pour candy onto slab, add vanilla to center and allow to partially cool. While still warm, begin beating candy on the slab and continue until fudge is creamy and begins to set up. Stir in nuts and spread onto buttered pan to finish setting up. Cut into squares.

Penuche


Sometimes called “brown sugar fudge” this creamy candy is great as a center for pecan logs. Eliminate cocoa and substitute 1 cup of the white sugar with brown sugar. Follow directions above. To use as a center for pecan logs; eliminate nuts, continue to beat candy until it sets up on slab. Remove candy from slab and knead until smooth and pliable once again. Shape into logs.
Butter Creams


Wonderful for making centers in dipped chocolates. Eliminate cocoa and substitute vanilla with flavoring extract of choice (reduce amount of flavoring to 1/4 teaspoon, as desired). Follow directions above; continue to beat candy until it sets up on marble slab. Remove candy from slab and knead until smooth and pliable once again. Knead in nuts, if desired. Pinch off cherry size to walnut size pieces of candy and roll into a ball. Dip in chocolate as desired.

Fondant


Great for making mints or mint flavored centers in chocolates. Eliminate cocoa, substitute vanilla with mint flavoring, replace cream with milk or water; follow directions for butter creams.

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