Over the years I have refined my fudge recipe to match my cooking style: messy, impatient, and haphazard. I've done the 'stir for 10 minutes over high heat' only to get extremely hot, with a tired arm, and a scorched mess too many times to count. Then I discovered the microwave version. And not only is it real fudge (you boil the milk, sugar, and butter, nothing else is actually fudge, no matter what the title of the recipe) but you can make pretty much any sort of fudge you want; you can make so much fudge you'll hate the very thought of it (yes, that is possible) and swear it off for the next two years, but you always come back, always...so here's the basic idea:
For a 9x9 pan (double for a 9x13 pan):
In a large (6-8 quarts, especially if doubling the recipe) microwave safe bowl combine:
1/2 cup (1 stick) real butter
5 oz (2/3 cup or 1/2 of a 10 oz can) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar (white for most flavors, but use brown for caramel fudge)
Microwave on high for 7-10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. You should maintain a vigorous boil of the ingredients for at least 5 minutes, so if you have a wimpy microwave, have doubled the recipe, or are starting with frozen butter you'll want to cook for a longer time. If it turns dark brown instead of a nice cream color (and you aren't using brown sugar), then reduce the cooking time on the next batch but it will still be very edible. If you undercook it, it won't set so increase the time on the next batch but enjoy the 'failed' batch with a spoon or as ice cream topping! This is the base of your fudge, now you get to customize it.
Mix in two cups of tiny marshmallows and anything else that needs to melt (peanut butter, baking chips, caramels...) and stir like crazy until everything is melted and smooth. Then add flavoring (mint or vanilla extract) and anything you don't want to melt (m&ms, crushed candy canes or Oreo cookies...). Then pour into a greased pan of the appropriate size and let it set before cutting and enjoying (though feel free to lick the spoon/bowl!). Store in the fridge or freezer.
So what are some flavor variations, ideas to get you started?:
Chocolate: add 1 cup chocolate chips and a tsp of vanilla at the 'melty' stage, or use mint extract for chocolate mint!
Candy Cane: use 1 cup white baking chips at the melty stage, then stir in 1 tsp mint extract and 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies.
Peanut Butter: add a cup of peanut butter at the melty stage and a half bag of m&ms at the 'stir in' stage.
Cookies and Cream: 1 cup white baking chips (melty) and 1 cup crushed Oreos (stir in).
Caramel: 1 cup white chips and 1 cup caramels (melty) plus use brown sugar instead of white.
So what kind will you make? Coffee, pumpkin, cake batter, cookie dough, peaches and cream...?
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