Easy Maple Chocolate Fudge Food

MARVELOUS MAPLE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square pan with foil; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., Cube remaining butter. In a large saucepan, combine cubed butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat., Stir in maple flavoring, vanilla and salt. Add confectioners' sugar; beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool completely., Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container.

EASY MAPLE-CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; set aside. Reserve 25 pecan halves; chop remaining nuts.
• Microwave chocolate and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 2 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
• Stir in maple extract and chopped nuts.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
• Use foil handles to remove fudge from pan before cutting into squares.
• Press 1 of the reserved nuts into top of each square before serving.

MAPLE FUDGE WITH MAPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with waxed paper. Butter the paper.
• Bring maple syrup, heavy cream, and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue to boil, without stirring, until mixture starts to bubble and registers 240 degrees F (166 degrees C) on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat. Add butter and salt but do not mix. Let sit until mixture reaches 105 degrees F (41 degrees C).
• Add walnuts and vanilla; beat until mixture loses its gloss. Pour into the prepared pan and let cool to room temperature. Cut, wrap, and store in the refrigerator.

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.

LINDA'S EASY MAPLE FUDGE

Steps:

• 1. Over medium high heat, bring butter, brown sugar and carnation milk to a boil.
• 2. Reduce heat to medium, simmer for 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
• 3. Remove from heat. Add the maple extract and give a quick mix.
• 4. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat with an electric or hand mixer for 2 minutes.
• 5. Stir in nuts by hand if using. Pour into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, lightly buttered. Cool.
• 6. This makes a large batch of fudge and in the 8x8 or 9x9 pan it is quite thick, so cut into small squares. I chop the walnuts fairly large but they can be any size you prefer.

BOARDWALK QUALITY MAPLE WALNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• Grease an 8x8-inch glass baking dish, and line with an 8x12-inch sheet of parchment paper. The ends will hang over the side of the dish.
• Melt the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on your microwave). Do not overheat or chocolate will scorch. Stir in the maple flavored extract until just combined, then add the walnuts. Pour chocolate mixture into the prepared baking dish; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Remove fudge by lifting the parchment paper, then cut into squares.