Brown Sugar Pecan Fudge Balls Food

PENUCHE SUGAR FUDGE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Stir until dissolved. 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. Remove from heat and stir vigorously until mixture loses its gloss, or process in a food processor 30 seconds. Quickly stir in vanilla and nuts and spread into a 9x9 inch dish. Chill before cutting into squares.

BUTTER PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square pan with foil; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine remaining butter, granulated and brown sugars, cream and salt. Bring to a rapid boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat. Add vanilla to pan (do not stir)., Cool, without stirring, to 110°, about 30 minutes. Beat with a spoon until fudge just begins to thicken. Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar until smooth; add nuts and continue stirring until fudge becomes very thick and just begins to lose its sheen. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool., Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

BROWN SUGAR FUDGE

Steps:

• Grease an 8x8-inch pan.
• Bring brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter to a boil in a large saucepan; boil mixture for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add confectioners' sugar. Beat fudge with an electric mixer on medium speed for exactly 5 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Spread fudge into the prepared pan and let cool before cutting into squares.

BROWN SUGAR FUDGE (PENUCHE)

Steps:

• PREPARE:
• Prewarm the thermometer in hot water; use a 2-quart saucepan; butter the upper sides (inside) of the saucepan; measure all ingredients except the vanilla and optionals, and dump into the saucepan.
• Grease and if necessary, line a 5 X 10-inch pan.
• Fill glass with ice cubes and water and the sink with 1/2 inch of cold water.
• Dissolve the sugar, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, over low heat until the butter melts, the gritty sounds cease, and the spoon glides smoothly over the bottom of the pan.
• Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil.
• Boil, after washing down any crystals that may have formed, with a pastry brush dipped in hot water from the thermometer bath, using as little water as possible.
• Introduce the prewarmed thermometer.
• Reduce the heat while keeping the fudge at a boil.
• Stir no more than necessary.
• Test the fudge mixture in the ice-cold water when the mixture thickens and bubbles become noisy.
• Ball, formed in ice water, should hold its shape until the heat from your had begins to flatten it and should be al dente ~- slightly chewy -- between 230 and 240 (110 and 115.5 degrees C.).
• Because of the molasses and brown sugar, it can ball at a lower temperature than some other fudges.
• Shock by placing the saucepan in the cold water in the sink.
• Seed by adding, without stirring, the vanilla.
• Then allow to cool.
• Stir when luke warm and "skin" forms on the top (110 degrees F./43.5 degrees C.).
• Return the thermometer to its hot water bath to soak clean.
• Stir the fudge thoroughly but not vigorously by hand, with an electric mixer, or with a food processor.
• Pause frequently to allow the fudge to react.
• Watch for the fudge to thicken, lose its sheen, and become lighter in color or streaked with lighter shade, give off some heat, suddenly stiffen.
• If mixing by had, the fudge will "snap" with each stroke; by mixer, mixer waves will become very distinct, by food processor, fudge will flow sluggishly back to the center when the processor is stopped.
• Add the optionals (1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts (filberts)) before the fudge totally candies.
• Pour, score, and store when cool in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
• Recipe is easily doubled and can be frozen.
• VARIATIONS:
• HONEY BROWN SUGAR FUDGE: In Step 1, eleminate the unsweetened chocolate and replace the molasses with 1/4 cup of honey.
• The honey causes the fudge to ball at a higher temperature.
• CHOCOLATE HONEY BROWN SUGAR FUDGE: In Step 1, replace the heavy cream with light cream or evaporated milk and replace the molasses with 1/4 cup of honey.
• ORANGE BROWN SUGAR FUDGE: In Step 1, eleminate molasses, chocolate but add 1 Tbl corn syrup.
• In Step 6, add 1 Tbl grated orange zest, plus if you can get it, 1 tsp of pure orange extract.
• PEANUT BUTTER BROWN SUGAR FUDGE: In Step 1, eliminate the molasses and chocolate, replace the heavy cream with 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter.
• To intensify the peanut butter flavor, add 1/3 of a cup of salted peanuts in Step 9.
• PRALINE BROWN SUGAR FUDGE: In Step 1, eliminating the molasses is optional -- you'ss get a more Southern praline with it, a milder one without it--or compromise and use only 1 Tbls.
• Eliminate the chocolate.
• In Step 3, when the mixture begins to thicken, add 1 1/2 cups of pecan halves slowly so as not to break the boil or cool the mixture too quickly.

BROWN SUGAR-PECAN FUDGE BALLS

Steps:

• Coat inside of medium metal bowl with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Place remaining butter in same bowl; set aside.
• Combine sugars, half and half and salt in medium saucepan that's at least 4 inches deep. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir over medium-low heat until sugars are almost dissolved, frequently brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Continue to stir until syrup comes to boil, occasionally brushing down sides of pan, about 10 minutes longer. Attach candy thermometer. Boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 234°F, about 16 minutes (caramel will bubble vigorously in pan).
• Attach thermometer to bowl with butter. Pour caramel over butter (do not scrape pan). Add vanilla (but do not stir). Cool caramel just to 112°F, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat caramel until sheen just begins to disappear and mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Stir in chopped pecans. Cool mixture until thick enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.
• Line 4 baking sheets with waxed paper. Using about 1 tablespoon mixture for each ball, spoon mixture in 48 mounds on 1 sheet. Press or roll each mound between palms of hands into ball. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Stir chocolate in medium bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until smooth and candy thermometer registers 115°F (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Remove from over water. Drop 1 ball into chocolate. Using fork, turn to coat. Using fork tines, lift ball from chocolate, allowing excess to drip into bowl. Using knife as aid, slide ball off fork onto second prepared sheet. Repeat with 15 balls, rewarming chocolate as needed to maintain temperature of 115°F. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sprinkles. Repeat with remaining fudge balls and sprinkles in 2 more batches, placing 16 balls on each of remaining 2 unused sheets.
• Chill balls until coating is firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Refrigerate in covered containers.) Let stand 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

BROWN SUGAR FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the foil.
• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer, about 235F, 5-8 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and allow to cool just until warm (about 120F) and not yet firm, 35-45 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until the mixture lightens and is no longer shiny, 6-10 minutes. Spread mixture into the prepared pan and let set until firm, about 1 hour. Using the foil overhangs, remove the fudge from the pan and cut into 1-inch squares.

BROWN SUGAR-PECAN FUDGE BALLS

Steps:

• Coat inside of medium metal bowl with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Place remaining butter in same bowl; set aside.
• Combine sugars, half and half and salt in medium saucepan that's at least 4 inches deep. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir over medium-low heat until sugars are almost dissolved, frequently brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 12 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Continue to stir until syrup comes to boil, occasionally brushing down sides of pan, about 10 minutes longer. Attach candy thermometer. Boil syrup without stirring until candy thermometer registers 234°F, about 16 minutes (caramel will bubble vigorously in pan).
• Attach thermometer to bowl with butter. Pour caramel over butter (do not scrape pan). Add vanilla (but do not stir). Cool caramel just to 112°F, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat caramel until sheen just begins to disappear and mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Stir in chopped pecans. Cool mixture until thick enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.
• Line 4 baking sheets with waxed paper. Using about 1 tablespoon mixture for each ball, spoon mixture in 48 mounds on 1 sheet. Press or roll each mound between palms of hands into ball. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Stir chocolate in medium bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until smooth and candy thermometer registers 115°F (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Remove from over water. Drop 1 ball into chocolate. Using fork, turn to coat. Using fork tines, lift ball from chocolate, allowing excess to drip into bowl. Using knife as aid, slide ball off fork onto second prepared sheet. Repeat with 15 balls, rewarming chocolate as needed to maintain temperature of 115°F. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sprinkles. Repeat with remaining fudge balls and sprinkles in 2 more batches, placing 16 balls on each of remaining 2 unused sheets.
• Chill balls until coating is firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Refrigerate in covered containers.) Let stand 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
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