Recipe: Fudge making tips

Sharon,

This is a re-post of tips from Meg/NY, posted originally on 12-18-2002:

Here are 3 very easy peanut butter fudge recipes. The first two are very good I have not tried the last. Here are some fudge making tips that really help.

Meet Your Ingredients: The basic ingredients of fudge are few: sugar, butter, milk and flavorings such as chocolate (definitely the most popular), maple, peanut butter, white chocolate, butterscotch, orange or even pumpkin. The tricky part of making fudge is cooking and combining these few items in just the right way to make smooth, creamy, firm but pliable fudge. This small cast of ingredients has nothing but touchy, temperamental members, and none more so than sugar.

The Secret of Success: Most ruined batches of fudge - the grainy ones, the mushy ones, the separated, oily ones - can all be blamed on sugar that didn't crystallize just right. But sugar crystals can be controlled. How, you ask? The answer may seem ridiculously obvious, and yet it's the real key to perfect fudge: FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! In most of the cooking you do, you can get away with substituting ingredients, making additions, skipping a step, or changing the cooking temperature, but with fudge, it's vital to follow the recipe instructions exactly. Stir when the recipe tells you to stir; don't stir when the recipe tells you not to stir. Use an accurate candy thermometer and allow the mixture to reach the exact temperatures called for in the recipe before proceeding to the next step. Add each ingredient in the exact order, at the exact time that the recipe suggests. Following all these directions to the letter should provide you with well-behaved sugar that crystallizes and sets up just how you want it. Small sugar crystals equal smooth fudge.

More Hints: In addition to following the recipe religiously, there are other measures you can take to ensure that your fudge achieves the pinnacle of perfection. Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage (234 - 240 degrees F or 112 - 115 degrees C), do not stir it or even shake the pan until it has cooled to about 110 degrees F/43 degrees C. When pouring the fudge from the saucepan to the serving pan, prevent unwelcome sugar crystals from forming by not stirring it and not scraping the saucepan. If your confidence in your fudge making abilities is a bit shaky, look for recipes that contain some or all of the following ingredients: Cream or evaporated milk; corn syrup; marshmallows or marshmallow creme. Cream and evaporated milk are less likely to curdle than regular milk, and corn syrup and marshmallows both serve to control the formation of sugar crystals, slowing down the process and keeping the crystals small.

The Right Tools for the Job: For best results, use a heavy, high-sided saucepan that holds about twice the volume of your candy recipe. A heavy pan is less likely to cause scorching, and the extra room will help prevent boil-overs. You can also save yourself a lot of frustration by having an accurate candy thermometer before you attempt your first batch of fudge. Candy making is a very precise activity. You cannot rely solely on the suggested cooking times in recipes. External factors like the temperature of your stove, the kind of pan, the temperature of your kitchen and the weather affect the cooking times, but temperature never will never lead you astray.

Be Prepared: Do all your preparation and gather all your equipment before beginning; once you start making fudge, you can't stop in the middle without the risk of ruining the batch. That means, before you turn on the stove, you should butter the pans, measure the ingredients, and test the candy thermometer. Test the candy thermometer by boiling a pan of water, inserting the thermometer, and ensuring that it reads 212 degrees F (100 degrees C).

If you follow the directions faithfully and use good equipment, your fudge should be a sweet, swooning success every time. You'll no longer have to cross your fingers in hopes that some kind candy artist will bestow a plate of flawless fudge upon you, because your fudge will be the new phenomenon in town. Don't forget to share!

Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge

4 cups white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 (16 ounce) jar peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallow creme until well incorporated and melted. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth; spread in prepared pan. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups peanut butter chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Line a 9x9 inch square pan with wax paper.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the condensed milk. Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until everything is melted and blended together.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and refrigerate for 3 hours. Cut into squares when cool. Comes out perfect every time!