Jos Fabulous Fudge Food

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.

FANTASY FUDGE

Steps:

• Toast the walnuts in a medium saute pan over medium heat, tossing frequently, until darkened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then roughly chop.
• Line an 8-inch square cake pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Coat lightly with cooking spray.
• Combine the chocolate and condensed milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the marshmallow creme and butter and stir until completely combined and no streaks remain. Stir in the walnuts until evenly dispersed.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake pan. Smooth with a rubber spatula into an even layer. Refrigerate until firm, 2 to 3 hours.
• Use the foil overhang to remove the fudge from the pan. Cut into small squares. The fudge can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days.

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.

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.

VANILLA FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Tip the sugar, cream, butter and glucose syrup into a medium to large saucepan. Heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, stirring now and again.
• Once dissolved, put a sugar thermometer in the pan, making sure the end is completely covered by the syrup - if not, transfer the mixture to a smaller pan (with enough space for the syrup to bubble up). Increase the heat and bring the syrup to a steady boil. Keep bubbling, stirring occasionally to stop the sugar from catching, until the mixture reaches 116C - this is known as the soft ball stage.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to sit, undisturbed, for 5 mins, until the temperature drops to 110C. Stir in the vanilla and a good pinch of salt.
• Keep the sugar thermometer in the pan and begin beating the mixture with a wooden spoon, quite vigorously, until the temperature cools to about 60C. By this time the fudge will be really thick and will have lost it glossy shine. Remove the thermometer and continue beating for a few mins more. This process is very important when making fudge, as it creates small sugar crystals, which give the fudge its lovely smooth and creamy texture (see 'fudge know-how', below).
• Before it sets completely, quickly pour the fudge into your prepared tin and smooth over the surface. Leave to cool at room temperature overnight - don't put the fudge in the fridge as it will become sticky and won't set properly. Cut into bite-sized pieces and pop in a box to give as a present. Will keep, in a sealed container, for up to 2 months.