Fabulous Fudge Food

FABULOUS FIVE-MINUTE FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and water.
• Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 1 minute more, or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a 9x6-inch rectangle, or drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.
• Chill fudge about 30 minutes or until firm. Cut fudge into 1-1/2-inch squares. Makes 24 pieces

FABULOUS FLOURLESS FUDGE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by lining it with foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray or brushing it with vegetable oil.
• Melt the semisweet chocolate and the butter in a double boiler (a pan set over a hot water bath); stir until smooth.
• Add vanilla and cinnamon; stir thoroughly to combine.
• Remove mixture from the heat and cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until very frothy and about triple in volume (approximately 5 minutes).
• Fold half of the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture and combine.
• Then fold in the remaining egg.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Place the pan of brownie batter into a larger pan, like a roasting pan and fill that pan with hot water half way up the side of the smaller pan containing the batter.
• Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• Turn off the oven but keep the brownies in the closed oven for another 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, remove the brownies pan from the larger water bath pan and place it on a wire rack to cool while making the glaze.
• To make the glaze, heat the cream and the dark chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water.
• Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the hot glaze over the brownies and smooth it out with a spatula.
• Set the pan aside to cool completely.
• When cool, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Cut chilled brownie into 12 squares.
• Brownies taste best when allowed to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

JO'S FABULOUS FUDGE

Steps:

• Spray and line with non-stick baking paper, a 20 x 30 cm, quite deep (at least 4 cm) tin, or 2 smaller tins.
• Place all ingredients, except the chocolate and vanilla, in a large heavy based saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil gently until it becomes very thick and changes colour to a dark caramel brown paper shade - about 6 minutes, to the soft ball stage, 116°C on a sugar thermometer. Stir often to prevent it catching on the bottom - I find a silicon spatula the best gadget to stir with. Remove from heat and stand until the bubbles subside. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla until melted and smooth.
• Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Cool to room temperature (about 3 hours) then refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks - if you're lucky.

FABULOUS FUDGE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 2 1/2 cups brown sugar until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate squares. Add 1/2 the sour cream and then 1/2 the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until well blended.
• Add the remaining sour cream and dry ingredients to the batter. Stir in boiling water.
• Bake in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan for 35 minutes.
• Let cool 10 minutes before icing.
• To Make Caramel Icing: First melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup brown sugar and boil about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup milk and bring to a boil. Place pan in cold water and stir in the confectioners' sugar. Continue stirring until smooth. Spread over still warm cake.

FABULOUS FUDGE

Steps:

• Spray and line with non-stick baking paper, a 20 x 30 cm, quite deep (at least 4 cm) tin, or 2 smaller tins.
• Place all ingredients, except the chocolate and vanilla, in a large heavy based saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
• Bring to the boil and boil gently until it becomes very thick and changes colour to a dark caramel brown paper shade - about 6 minutes, to the soft ball stage, 116°C on a sugar thermometer.
• Stir often to prevent it catching on the bottom - I find a silicon spatula the best gadget to stir with.
• Remove from heat and stand until the bubbles subside.
• Stir in the chocolate and vanilla until melted and smooth.
• Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
• Cool to room temperature (about 3 hours) then refrigerate until firm.
• Cut into squares.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks - if you're lucky.

FABULOUS FUDGE

Steps:

• Add the condensed milk to a small saucepan. Pour the chips into the pan, give a stir, and make sure that the milk coats all the chips. Add a pinch of salt. Cook over low heat until it's melted and glossy and a looks like a thick, hot fudge.
• Add the vanilla and walnuts, making sure to coat the nuts with the fudge. (I like to make double triple batches of this and freeze the extra.)
• Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with foil. You want to leave about 4 inches of overhang on the 2 opposite sides. These serve as your handles to remove the fudge from the pan in 1 piece, so make sure that there is enough of the overhang for you to have a solid grip.
• Pour the fudge into the pan and smooth it out, getting it in all the corners. Let the fudge come to room temperature, then put in the fridge for 3 hours or so. This will make it easier to cut.
• Pop out of the pan and cut into little pieces.