FUDGE

I'm a texture person and I like a smooth creamy fudge.  This is one of the best fudges I have ever tasted.  The secret to this fudge is a high quality chocolate and ,of course, I use Peter's chocolate.  This is very easy to make but you will need a few tools that are important to successfully make the fudge.  The most important tool when making this fudge is a marble board that is at least 24" square.  A thermometer and a heavy bottomed aluminum pan are also tools that make the process much easier and successful.

This recipe only takes about 30 minutes to make.  It is really easy but, to have success, you must follow the steps and time in cooling the cooked mixture before you add the chocolate. 

Fudge recipe:

2- Cups heavy cream
4- Cups sugar
1/8- Cup light corn syrup
1/2- teaspoon salt
1- cube real butter (1/2 Cup)
1-1/2 lbs. of Peter's chocolate  (24 oz. or about 3 Cups)

Tip:  The fudge that is pictured I used 1-1/2 lbs. of chocolate.  When cooled it cuts and holds its shape very well.  If you like a softer fudge (it won't hold its shape as well) use only 18-20 oz. of chocolate.  It won't affect the creamy smooth texture just how firm it is when it is cooled.

You can add a variety of other ingredients to make different flavors such as nuts, marshmallows, peanut butter, cookies etc.  The ideas and options are endless.

Begin by getting the chocolate chopped and other ingredients ready and set aside.  This tool is awesome for breaking up chocolate.   If the chocolate isn't measured accurately, it isn't going to ruin anything.  If you do add too much chocolate ( is it possible to have too much chocolate) it might not all melt completely.
The smaller the chunks, the better it will melt.  I don't worry about the chocolate being finely chopped because I've never heard anyone complain about having chunks of Peter's chocolate in their fudge.  Use a kitchen scale to weigh the chocolate or if measured it is about 3 cups. 

I'm making a cookies and cream fudge so I divided the 1-1/2 lbs of chocolate into 3/4 lb. Peter's white chocolate and 3/4 lb. of Peter's dark chocolate.   I am
 using Oreo cookies and I coarsely chopped them in a blender putting 3-5 in at a time and use a pulsating button until they are chopped.

I have all the ingredients in  separate bowls and set aside.  Have a dry and ungreased marble board also ready.






In a heavy bottomed aluminum pan, add the cream, sugar, salt and light corn syrup.  Turn on the stove burner from medium high to high heat.

 I have a ceramic top stove and after teaching classes on gas and coil burner stoves I have found them to be hotter than the ceramic stove top.  I cook on high heat but adjust the temperature according to your stove.  It needs to be hot enough to bring it to a full rolling boil.


Carefully stir the ingredients occasionally as it is heating.

I don't ever stir vigorously but run my spoon continuously across the bottom. I scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure there isn't any dry sugar pockets stuck to the bottom that will scorch.  By stirring carefully you prevent sugar getting up on the sides of the pan that may cause the candy to go grainy and I never have to wash down the sides of the pan.  Also, never scrape the sides of the pan when stirring.



Once it comes to a full boil, remove the spoon and clip on a candy thermometer.  Cook the mixture to 238 degrees F.  Remember to calibrate to your thermometer.

 The reason I have 2 thermometers is that I'm testing out a new digital thermometer and wanted to check its accuracy with the one I have been using for years.  I am really liking the digital one.


When it reaches the proper temperature, (which takes about 5 minutes) without scraping the pan pour onto a clean, dry, un-greased marble board.
Never scrape out the pan, this can cause it to go grainy.  I know it is hard to resist getting every last bit out of the pan.



Now, the next steps are important to follow to have the best results.  Set a timer and let it set undisturbed for 3 minutes.



After 3 minutes, cut the cube of butter and place on top.  Set timer for 2 minutes and let it set undisturbed.





After 2 minutes begin stirring in the butter.  It will be runny but you can keep it gathered with a wooden spatula and scraper.  When the butter is melted and mixed it is time to add the chocolate.





I am going to make cookies and cream so I am dividing this mixture and adding dark chocolate to one side and white to the other.  If you are doing just one flavor you don't need to divide it.





 
Add the chocolate and begin stirring and mixing.  This is when the fudge will start to set up.  Don't worry if all the chocolate doesn't melt, it will be a chocolate bonus.  Put directly in to a pan.




Do the same with the white chocolate and when the chocolate is mostly melted, add the cookies.




Spread the white chocolate on top and cover with plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Notes: This fudge gets its smooth creamy texture from the high cocoa butter content in Peter's chocolate.  When I was first
experimenting with this recipe, after I added the chocolate, you would have thought I had struck oil.  It separated and ran everywhere.  After much trial and error, I found if I let the cooked ingredients cool on a marble board, it wouldn't burn the chocolate causing the oils to separate but still be warm enough to melt the chocolate.  That is why it is important to follow the cooling time instructions.  It is also important to have the extra ingredients ready to add as soon as the chocolate is mixed in and put it in a pan.  I had a batch of fudge finished and it was perfect.  I had let it set while I prepared some nuts to add to it.  It had set for several minutes before I added the nuts and when I stirred them in I had some oil start to separate.  I don't know why.  I just make sure and quickly add the other ingredients and put the finished fudge in a pan and don't stir it any more.  If you do get some oil separating, dab it with a paper towel to absorb the oil and it will be just fine.

 The variety of flavors are only as endless as your imagination.  The fudge made with Peter's Ultra or milk chocolate will have a sweet flavor and the fudge made with Peter's Burgandy or dark chocolate has a more chocolatey flavor.  I have recently experimented mixing the dark chocolate and white chocolate to make instead of the milk chocolate.  I use different proportions to more chocolatey milk chocolate flavored fudge. Here are a few combinations I have made:

Rocky Road: Peter's milk chocolate or a mixture of Peter's dark and white chocolate, chopped walnuts, marshmallows

Salted Caramel Macadamia: Peter's dark chocolate, chopped Macadamia nuts, 1-can caramel made from sweetened condensed milk(check October 2013 post), sea salt.  I sandwiched a layer of caramel between two dark chocolate layers that had the nuts mixed in them and sprinkled sea salt on top of the caramel.

Peanut butter: Use either dark or milk Peter's chocolate for half and white chocolate the other half.  Mix 1/2 cup peanut butter in with the white chocolate layer and chopped, salted peanuts in the chocolate layer.

Peppermint: Peter's dark chocolate and white chocolate.  Mix crushed candy canes in the the white chocolate fudge and add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil to the dark chocolate fudge.
 The ideas are endless.


                         GO FOR IT!  This fudge is amazing.  You've got to try it to believe it.