Maple Pecan Fudge Food

3-INGREDIENT MAPLE-PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Meanwhile, butter loaf pan. Attach candy thermometer to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook maple syrup, cream, and salt, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Stop whisking and continue to boil until thermometer registers 238°F, about 40 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and let cool to 130°F, about 40 minutes.Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric mixer or wooden spoon) and beat on medium speed until fudge is stiff and opaque, about 12 minutes. Fold in pecans. Scrape fudge into prepared pan; smooth surface. Chill until cool and firm, about 2 hours.
• Do Ahead
• Fudge can be made 1 week ahead; tightly wrap and chill.

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.

AUTUMN MAPLE PECAN LAYER CAKE WITH PENUCHE FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans, and line them with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the maple syrup, stirring until smooth. Alternately add the flour and the hot water, a little at a time, stirring gently until combined and smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and bake in a 350F degree preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in their pans on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes, then carefully unmold them and allow them to cool completely on the rack.
• At this point, you can individually wrap the completely cooled cakes in cling wrap, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze them until needed. Allow the cakes to defrost completely before filling and frosting them.
• Make the frosting shortly before you want to frost the cake, as it will get harder with time.
• For the frosting/filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring all the while; continue to boil and stir for about 1 minute, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened (watch carefully). Off the heat, and whisk in the coffee powder, the 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons milk, and the maple and vanilla extracts, stirring well to combine. Allow to cool slightly, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition, until smooth and glossy and of the desired spreadable consistency; beat in a little milk, a tablespoon at a time, if it gets too thick.
• Place one of the cakes onto a cake plate or pedestal, and spoon some of the frosting/filling over the top, spreading evenly with a flat spatula; sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place the other cake on top and evenly spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the pecan halves. Just before serving, you may adorn the plate with autumn leaves as desired.
• This cake is best eaten the day it's frosted.
• Makes about 8-10 slices.

MAPLE FUDGE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except the nuts in a medium saucepan.
• Simmer slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Continue cooking mixture, stirring occasionally until it reaches soft ball stage or a temperature of 236°F Cool without stirring to a temperature of 110°F or until mixture feels warm.
• Beat until thick, add nuts and pour into buttered pie pan.
• Allow to set.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Begin by making the brown sugar pecans. In a medium skillet, melt the 3 Tbsp. butter and 3 Tbsp. brown sugar together over medium heat. Once melted, add in the pecans and reduce heat to medium-low, stirring continually while coating the pecans in the sugar/butter mixture. Continue to stir the pecans as they toast, approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer nuts to a piece of waxed paper. Let the nuts cool to room temperature.
• For the fudge: In a medium saucepan, melt together the 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. brown sugar and heavy cream over medium-low heat. Bring to a low boil, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the maple extract.
• Roughly chop 1 cup of the pecans, reserving the remaining pecans for the top of the fudge. Add in the chopped pecans to the fudge mixture. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Fudge will start to get thick, and slightly stiff. Transfer the fudge to a foil-lined 9x9" pan, and evenly press into the pan. Top the fudge with the remaining brown sugar pecan halves, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting.
• Store in a airtight container. Can be frozen.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil that overhangs. Coat the foil with 1 tbsp of the butter.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the maple syrup, half-and-half, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooded spoon or heatproof spatula.
• Bring he mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
• Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer and place in warm water to cool it.
• Sprinkle a marble board, or the back of a baking sheet with cold water, and immediately pour the hot mixture on the marble DO NOT SCRAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN! (THIS CREATES HARD PARTS AND WILL THROW OFF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE WHOLE BATCH).
• Dot the surface with remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110 F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes, or 15 minutes with a baking sheet).
• Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer, add the vanilla, and with the paddle attachment, beat for 5-10 minutes until it looses its shine and thickens OR put in a bowl and use a wooden spoon.
• Add chopped pecans, turn into prepared pan and use fingertips to even the top and press the fudge into the corners. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let set for 2 hours.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper and butter thoroughly.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan combine butter, maple syrup, cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved (about 10 minutes). Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 240 degrees on candy thermometer (about 20-25 minutes). *Do NOT stir, as sugar will crystallize!
• Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool until candy thermometer drops to 160 degrees.
• Pour mixture into mixing bowl.
• Add vanilla extract to mixture and beat until mixture loses glossy appearance (about 5-10 minutes).
• Fold in pecans and mix thoroughly.
• Transfer mixture to parchment lined pan. Press fudge evenly into pan. Place pan on a cooling rack and score fudge into desired sized bites. Cool thoroughly (about 2 hours).
• Flip over onto a cutting board, remove and discard parchment. Flip again so score marks are visible.
• Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut fudge.
• Place fudge in waxed paper lined air-tight container. Place waxed paper in between each layer of fudge.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8 inch square baking dish with foil, leave a 1 inch overhang. Grease foil.
• Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 180C (350F) oven for 8 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside.
• Grease the sides of a heavy saucepan. Add the sugar, cream, maple syrup, butter and baking soda.
• Cook over a medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil.
• Boil without stirring until 1/2 teaspoon dropped into cold water forms a soft ball (or candy thermometer reaches 114C/238F) - approximately 8 minutes.
• Pour into a wide-bottomed bowl and cool on rack until mixture is just warm to touch (1-2 hours).
• Using a wooden spoon beat in the vanilla, beating until very thick and most of the gloss disappears (approx 7 minutes).
• Quickly stir in the pecans and scrape mixture into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Let cool then use remove from pan and cut into pieces.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil that extends over the sides. Coat the foil with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the maple syrup, half-and-half, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer from the pan, and place the thermometer in warm water to cool. Sprinkle a marble board or the back of a baking sheet with cold water and immediately pour the hot mixture onto the marble. Do not scrape out the bottom of the pan. Dot the surface of the mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110°F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes). If using a baking sheet instead of the marble, the cooling time will be about 15 minutes.
• Beat the fudge using one of the following three methods: With a 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper, transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vanilla, and with the paddle attachment, beat the mixture until it thickens and loses its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Or transfer the mixture to a 2-quart mixing bowl, add the vanilla, and beat the mixture with a long-handled wooden spoon until it thickens and loses its shine (10 to 15 minutes). In both cases, add the chopped pecans after beating the fudge and mix until they are blended in (about 30 seconds). Or spread the mixture into a large rectangle on the marble board, sprinkle on the vanilla, then use the 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper to gather the mixture back to the center of the marble, folding in the edges. Repeat this process until the mixture begins to thicken and lose its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Sprinkle on the chopped pecans and continue to work the fudge to incorporate them (about 1 minute).
• Turn the fudge into the prepared pan. Use your fingertips to even the top and to press the fudge into the corners of the pan. Place the pan of fudge on a cooling rack and let it set completely at room temperature (1 to 2 hours).
• Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting out the aluminum foil. Invert the fudge onto a cutting board, peel the foil off the back of the fudge, and reinvert the fudge. With a large chef's knife, cut the fudge evenly into 1-inch squares. Between layers of waxed paper in a tightly covered container, the fudge will keep for 10 days at room temperature or 1 month in the refrigerator. The fudge is best served at room temperature.
• VARIATION
• Maple Walnut Fudge: Substitute walnuts for the pecans.