Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Food

FOOLPROOF CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides, set aside.
• In a large, heatproof bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, chocolate, and butter; set aside. Fill a saucepan with a little water (you want it about 1/4 full) and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to barely a simmer. Place your heatproof glass bowl holding your ingredients on top of the pot. Stir frequently, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is completely smooth, about 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat. The mixture will be very thick. Using a sturdy spatula, scrape the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Gently run a butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the fudge. Remove the fudge and transfer it to a cutting board.
• Peel off parchment paper, then slice the fudge into small pieces. Serve at once or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. You may also freeze the fudge, in an airtight freezer safe container for up to two months.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Add the butter, both types of chocolate chips, and vanilla to an extra large mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Line a 9×13'' pan with tin foil and set aside.
• In a very large heavy saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, sugar, and marshmallows. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Keep the heat on medium and stir constantly, being cautious to constantly scrape down the sides of the pan and along the bottom of the pan as you stir (this will help the sugar dissolve and not be grainy, and keep anything from burning to the bottom or sides of the pan.)
• Boil for about 10 minutes*--the fudge should be light golden brown in color. (If using a candy thermometer you will want to cook it to around 235-240 degrees F. Temperature will vary depending on altitude, humidity etc., but just watch the clock and make sure it boils for about 10 minutes).
• Grease your foil-lined pan with cooking spray.
• Pour the hot mixture into the bowl with the chocolate chips and use an electric mixer to gently combine everything until melted and smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
• Chill completely in the refrigerator. Once cooled you can pull up on the edges of the tinfoil to lift the entire slab of fudge out of the pan.
• Cut into small squares, or I like to cut it into a few "bricks" that I wrap in tinfoil and give as gifts. Store fudge wrapped tightly in the fridge so it doesn't dry out.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
• Lightly brush the foil with butter. Lightly brush the bowl of a stand mixer or another large metal bowl with butter. Add 2 tablespoons cut-up butter, the chocolate, extract and salt; set the bowl aside.
• Heat the half-and-half in a medium pot over medium-high heat until hot but not boiling. Stir in the sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon; boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; run a pastry brush dipped in warm water along the sides of the pan to dissolve any sugar crystals clinging to the pan. Clip a candy thermometer to the pan. Simmer the mixture, undisturbed, until the thermometer registers 234 degrees F to 238 degrees F, 20 to 30 minutes, watching the temperature closely as cooking times may vary. (This is the "soft-ball stage." To test for doneness, drop some of the mixture into cold water; you should be able to roll it into a soft ball.)
• Quickly pour the sugar mixture over the chocolate-butter mixture in the bowl (do not scrape the sides or bottom of the saucepan in case any sugar crystals formed). Clean the candy thermometer, then clip it to the bowl. Let the chocolate mixture cool, undisturbed, until it registers 110 degrees F to 115 degrees F, about 1 hour. (For faster cooling, set the bowl in a larger bowl of cold water.)
• Brush the paddle attachment or mixer beaters with butter. Beat the mixture on medium speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat until the fudge just begins to lose its sheen and hold its shape, 5 to 15 minutes. Do not overmix or the fudge will become hard. Use a buttered rubber spatula to scrape the fudge into the prepared pan and pat into an even layer; smooth the top.
• Press one or more toppings into the fudge, if desired (about 3/4 cup total). Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then score the fudge into small squares with a knife. For the best texture, let sit at least 1 more hour before slicing. Wrap leftover fudge in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature, or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Toppings: Crushed sandwich cookies, crushed graham crackers, white chocolate chips, sprinkles, peanut butter drizzle, or mini marshmallows.

CHOCOLATE BALSAMIC FUDGE

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan (20 x 20 x 5 cm) with aluminum foil. Make sure you go up the sides. You can then easily lift the sides to take the fudge out of the pan when it's done.
• Combine the condensed milk, chopped chocolate, and butter in a stainless steel bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Melt the chocolate mixture, stirring frequently. Make sure the mixture doesn't get too hot or the fudge may be grainy.
• Stir until smooth (it will be very thick).
• Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic.
• Spread the fudge into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
• Let stand at room temperature for a couple of hours.
• Using a pastry brush, brush some balsamic on top of the fudge and let sit for another hour or so until the balsamic is a bit less liquidy and simply sticky.
• Carefully remove the fudge from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil. With a long, sharp knife, cut the fudge into pieces.
• Store in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze, well wrapped, for several months. Let thaw at room temperature, unwrapped, for a few hours before eating.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 18cm square tin with greaseproof paper.
• Put the milk, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.
• Bring to the boil for 15-20 mins, still stirring all the time. The mixture will bubble up - when it does, take it off the heat and keep stirring it until it sinks back down. Then return it to the heat.
• Start to take the temperature after about 15 mins (continuing to stir or it will burn on the bottom). The time it takes to come up to temperature may vary, particularly in a cold kitchen. Once it reaches 115C on a temperature probe, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a good pinch of sea salt. Leave to cool for 5 mins.
• Stir in the chopped chocolate and the mixture and keep stirring until the chocolate has melted. Quickly pour the mixture into your prepared tin and leave to set at room temperature.
• Before the fudge has completely set, you can add rows of different toppings like nuts, toffees or mini chocolate buttons - just scatter them over the surface and gently press into the fudge until they stick. Make sure the fudge is only slightly warm when you do this - if it's too hot the toppings can melt. Once set, cut the fudge into small pieces and store in a sealed container.

THREE-CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil; grease foil with 1 tablespoon butter., In a heavy large saucepan, combine sugars, milk and cubed butter. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows and vanilla until blended., Gradually stir in chocolate chips and chopped chocolate until melted. Fold in pecans. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. 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.

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.