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I'm on a quest to find the perfect fudge recipe! HELP!


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My grandmother made the best fudge in the whole world. And I know this because everybody who ate her fudge said so! :) Sadly, I do not have her recipe. However... one of my New Year's Goals was to learn to make fudge like my Gm. I've got to get to work, as I've never ever made it before in my life.

 

It was not chewy fudge...but rather...sort of brittle, I want to say. Not sure how to describe the texture exactly.

 

And that is all I know. Just this wonderful fudge, not too soft, not too hard. Creamy but ...brittle. I know that isn't the right word, but it is the only one coming to mind.

 

So how does one, who has never, ever made fudge, go about this. I'm pretty sure she didn't take any short cuts when making it either.

 

I am turning to all of you for help. I know ONE of you has THE recipe for the perfect BRITTLE fudge!

 

I wonder how many batches of fudge I'm going to have to try out before I find the right one this year.

 

Good thing one of my goals was not to loose weight!:p

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Here is a link to the recipe we've used for years.

 

Old-Time Fudge

 

After the fudge is brought to the right temp, it is allowed to cool until 110 degrees. Then the fudge is stirred by hand until it just begins to lose its gloss. If you stir it a wee bit longer, it will get more like you describe. If you do a bit less, it will be creamier. OTOH, if you do it too little, it will never harden, and if you do it too much, it will get too brittle.

 

Fudge making is an art. It takes practice to get it just right. :)

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I use 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 2T butter and 1 pack of chocochips. Actually, I use have semisweet and and half milk chocolate. Also a splash of vanilla added at the end. Combine everything but the vanilla and micro on high 1 min. Stir until chocolate is heated through. Be careful about adding extra time if you need to- you dont want it to boil. Stir in a "splash" of vanilla at the end, fold into 9X9 pan, refrigerate until solid. Never fails and is very good. This is smooth fudge with a crispy outside texture. It is "crispier" if you use all semisweet and smoother if you use all milk chocolate (one reason I like to mix the 2).

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Holly~

You don't have to add any sugar??

 

Chocolate chips are sweet already, and are like any other eating chocolate.

 

The recipes that need sugar are using either cocoa (which is bitter) or cooking chocolate (also bitter). Cocoa and cooking chocolate don't have any sugar in them.

 

I remember stealing into my mother's pantry and biting into the cooking chocolate. :p That doesn't happen more than once in a lifetime!

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Ok, I have a quick-and-easy recipe as well. It uses only two ingredients:

 

1 can chocolate frosting

1 bag of chocolate chips - your choice of semi-sweet or milk

 

Dump both in a pan and stir until melted. Pour into 8X8 pan and stick it in the freezer for about 10 mins. Take it out, cut it into squares and enjoy. It will stay hardened without refrigeration, but is a nice creamy consistency (not brittle like you are talking about). It's just easy.

 

I love this recipe! And, you can experiment with different frosting flavors and chip flavors for all kinds of fudge. My dd likes chocolate fudge frosting with peanut butter chips; ds likes milk chocolate frosting with mint flavored chips. Be creative.

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My grandmother made the best fudge in the whole world. And I know this because everybody who ate her fudge said so! :) Sadly, I do not have her recipe. However... one of my New Year's Goals was to learn to make fudge like my Gm. I've got to get to work, as I've never ever made it before in my life.

 

It was not chewy fudge...but rather...sort of brittle, I want to say. Not sure how to describe the texture exactly.

 

And that is all I know. Just this wonderful fudge, not too soft, not too hard. Creamy but ...brittle. I know that isn't the right word, but it is the only one coming to mind.

 

So how does one, who has never, ever made fudge, go about this. I'm pretty sure she didn't take any short cuts when making it either.

 

I am turning to all of you for help. I know ONE of you has THE recipe for the perfect BRITTLE fudge!

 

I wonder how many batches of fudge I'm going to have to try out before I find the right one this year.

 

Good thing one of my goals was not to loose weight!:p

 

I'll bet it's the same one my grandmother used to cook. You can find the recipe on the Hershey's cocoa tin (or on the Hershey's Web site). It doesn't use marshmallow creme or anything like that. What makes it "brittle" is that you cook it to a certain temperature, then let it cool down. You need a good candy thermometer; my grandmother could tell when it was "fudge" by dropping a little bit on a plate and stirring it around. Sadly, she didn't teach me how to do this so I have to rely on the candy thermometer, and even then, it's tricky. Too hot and it turns to stone in the pan; not hot enough and it doesn't "fudge."

 

If you persevere, it *will* be the best fudge in the entire known world.

 

I can't eat fudge that's made with marshmallow creme or sweetened condensed milk...too sweet, too soft. But my grandmother's fudge...now *that* was a food group all by itself!

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FIVE MINUTE FUDGE

 

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

Grease (or cover with wax paper and Pam it) an 8 inch round, 9 inch round, or 9 inch square pan. Pour the chocolate and butterscotch chips, condensed milk, and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove on LOW heat. Stir constantly until the chips melt (about 3 minutes). Pour into prepared pan, and put in fridge until firm.

 

 

PEANUT BUTTER VARIATION

 

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

 

ROCKY ROAD VARIATION

 

Prepare a 9 X 13 inch pan as above. Stir in 2 cups mini-marshmallows and ½ cup finely chopped walnuts after the chips have melted. Pour into prepared pan, and put in fridge until firm.

 

You can also add nuts, raisins, currants, dried cranberries. You can make a white chocolate fudge; just substitute a 12 oz bag PLUS an extra one cup of white chocolate chips for the 12 oz of chocolate chips.

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What makes it "brittle" is that you cook it to a certain temperature, then let it cool down. You need a good candy thermometer; my grandmother could tell when it was "fudge" by dropping a little bit on a plate and stirring it around.

 

Yes! Now that you mention it I can remember my grandmother doing exactly that! Old, old childhood memories here. Thanks!

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Everyone I know says I make the best fudge they have ever tasted (it's the only culinary skill I can brag about, actually). The key is to make sure you boil it long enough (if you want to double the recipe, make sure you double the boiling time). Here it is:

 

Festive Fudge

 

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

3/4 cups evaporated skim milk

12 marshmallows

dash of salt

6 oz semi-sweet choc chips

1 tsp vanilla

 

Bring first 5 ingrediants to a boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly. Once to a very rapid boil, set timer and boil for 5 minutes (keep stirring constantly). Then, turn off heat and add semi-sweet choc. chips and vanilla. Stir until chips are completely melted. Pour into pan and cool.

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I'll bet it's the same one my grandmother used to cook. You can find the recipe on the Hershey's cocoa tin (or on the Hershey's Web site). .....But my grandmother's fudge...now *that* was a food group all by itself!

 

This is the "secret recipe" my Pops uses. We were so suprised years later to see it on the can. I completely agree with everything Ellie wrote. It isn't easy (although Pops makes it look easy- no thermometer) I've trashed far too many batches. But when it is right, nothing compares....

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