Award Winning Old Fashioned Fudge Recipes

AWARD WINNING OLD FASHIONED FUDGE RECIPE

Steps:

• Add butter, sugar and evaporated milk in heavy bottom good quality saucepan. I use my 6 quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven.
• Turn heat on high. Start stirring and continually stir while the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
• Continue stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until it gets to a "soft ball" stage. Your candy thermometer should read between 234 - 240 degrees. If you don't have a candy thermometer, after 5 minutes drop a small dollop of the sugar mixture into a glass of cold water. If it forms a soft ball "clump" the sugar mixture is hot enough. If the ball doesn't form, cook for another minute or so.
• Remove from the pan from the heat; stir in the chocolate chips, and marshmallow creme. After a few stirs, add the vanilla. Mix until well blended then add nuts and stir to combine.
• Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Let the fudge completely cool at room temperature before cutting into squares.

OLD FASHIONED FUDGE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Mix in corn syrup, and milk until well blended. Add butter, and heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Stir occasionally.
• Remove from heat, and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thick and loses its gloss. Stir in vanilla, and pour into a buttered 9x9 inch baking dish. Let cool until set. Cut into small squares to serve.

AUNT JUNE'S OLD FASHIONED FUDGE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except butter and vanilla. In a 2 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, half and half, cocoa, salt, and corn syrup. Mix well with a whisk and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. While the fudge is cooking, butter a plate or baking dish for pouring the mixture into later.
• Heat until the mixture reaches 240 degrees. Let the fudge cook until it reaches 240 degrees, checked with a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer. Don't stir during the cooking process. Once the temperature is reached, immediately remove the pan from the heat.
• Place butter and vanilla on top and allow to cool. Place the butter and vanilla on top of the fudge and allow it to cool. Do not mix or disturb the pan. Let it cool about. 20 minutes until the side of the pan is warm but not hot to the touch.
• Mix with a hand mixer until fudge begins to firm up. Using a hand mixer on medium-low, beat the fudge for 1-3 minutes until it just begins to firm up and lose its shine.
• Quickly pour into a buttered dish, cool, and cut. Once the fudge changes texture, immediately pour it into a dish to set. Work quickly. It if is not pourable, just scoop it out and flatten in the best you can. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes and cut into one-inch squares.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan. Set aside.
• Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan. Stir to blend, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer. Do not stir again.
• Place candy thermometer in pan and cook until temperature reaches 238 degrees F(114 degrees C). If you are not using a thermometer, then cook until a drop of this mixture in a cup of cold water forms a soft ball. Feel the ball with your fingers to make sure it is the right consistency. It should flatten when pressed between your fingers.
• Remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and vanilla extract. Beat with a wooden spoon until the fudge loses its sheen. Do not under beat.
• Pour into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into about 60 squares.

AUNT HELEN'S OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FUDGE WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Butter 1 8x8 inch square glass pan and set aside.
• melt chocolate in milk using sturdy, heavy bottomed pan.
• Stir in salt and sugar with wooden spoon until just mixed.
• Cook the chocolate, milk, salt and sugar mixture on medium or a little less than medium heat until it reaches softball stage. DO NOT STIR and DO NOT SCRAPE THE SIDES OF THE PAN.
• Softball stage: You can use a candy thermometer. I find the thermometers unreliable, so I check the progress of the fudge by dropping a small amount in cold water. If I can easily make a soft ball of it with my fingers, it is ready. With one batch of fudge, this generally takes about 8 minutes or a little longer. Obviously if you double the batch it takes more time. However, don't just assume 8 minutes will work. Either use the softball test or a candy thermometer to make sure. What works on my stove may be different for yours.
• When fudge has reached softball stage, place in a sink partially filled with ice and water. Make sure there's not so much that it could seep into the pan. This is just to cool the pan.
• Stir in peanut butter and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Do not scrape the sides of the pan. Stir until the peanut butter is melted and the fudge begins to thicken and lose some of its gloss. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, slice, and enjoy.
• Don't skip the peanut butter. It gives it an amazing layer of flavor and also helps it set faster. I have only tried this with Jif so I can't guarantee any other peanut butter will be as good.

OLD-FASHIONED FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Position oven rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°; butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with wax paper cut to fit, butter the paper, dust with flour, then invert and tap lightly to shake out excess flour; set aside.
• Add chocolate to the top of a small double boiler over hot water on medium heat.
• Cover until partially melted, then uncover and stir until completely melted; remove from the hot water and set aside, uncovered, to cool slightly.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter.
• Add in sugar; beat to mix well; add in eggs, one at a time, beating until the egg is thoroughly incorporated after each addition.
• Mix in the vinegar-the mixture should look curdled.
• Add in melted chocolate and beat only until smooth.
• On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions; scrape bowl as needed and beat only until smooth after each addition.
• Place half the batter in each prepared pan and smooth the tops.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the layers begin to come away from the sides or the pans and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
• Remove from oven and, with a small, sharp knife, cut around the insides of the pans to release; then let the layers stand in pans for 5 minutes.
• Cover each layer with a rack, invert, remove the pan, peel off the paper lining, cover with another rack and invert again, leaving the layer right side up to cool.
• Prepare a large, flat cake plate by lining the sides with four strips of wax paper; place one layer upside down on the plate, checking to be sure that the paper touches the layer all the way around; prepare icing.
• Icing: add chocolate and butter in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on medium heat.
• Cover until partially melted, then uncover and stir until completely melted.
• Meanwhile, place all the remaining ingredients in a bowl; beat briefly with electric mixer only to mix.
• Set the small bowl in a large bowl and fill the empty space left in the large bowl with ice and water, filling to about ¾ the depth of the large bowl.
• Add the melted chocolate and butter to the mixture in the small bowl; beat until the mixture thickens slightly.
• With a rubber spatula, stir the icing until it thickens to the consistency of thick mayonnaise.
• Spread a scant 1/3 cup of icing about ¼ inch thick over the bottom layer of cake; cover with the other layer, placing it right side up (both bottoms meet in the middle); spread the sides and top with the remaining icing.
• Remove the strips of waxed paper by gently pulling each one out toward a narrow end.