Dad S Fudge Recipes

DAD'S OLD FASHIONED FUDGE

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 8 x 10 baking pan and line with parchment paper making sure parchment overlaps sides for easy removal later. Set aside.
• In a 8 quart pot combine sugar, evaporated milk, half & half and vanilla. Place pan over medium heat stirring constantly for 6 1/2 mins. Mixture should come to a rapid boil for a full 2 mins. (IMPORTANT See Note #1 below) Take off heat. Add butter and continue stirring while adding in chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is completely smooth. Stir in walnuts.
• Pour chocolate mixture evenly into lined pan. Chill for at least 2 hours.
• Once chilled gently run butter knife along sides of pan to loosen. Carefully remove fudge and loosen parchment from sides. With a large sharp knife carefully cut into small pieces. Keep refrigerated for a longer shelf life of up to 1 month.

OLD FASHIONED FUDGE RECIPE

Steps:

• Butter a flat baking tray.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and slowly add the sugar. When you can see the sugar just beginning to burn (little brown bits in it), then add the condensed milk.
• Now keep stirring with a wooden spoon (non-stop) - if you stop stirring, it will burn and you will have toffee stuck to the pan. It will change colour to light brown and then a darker brown. Keep stirring. Then at some point the mix will start to change texture.
• You will see what I mean - the mixture will start to change its consistency. At this point, and NO LATER, you pour it onto the baking tray. If you get it right, it should be fudge, and edible without breaking your teeth ☺️.
• If you get it wrong, the bottom of the pan will have dark brown burnt sugar residues, and you will have made toffee instead (also good !) The taste is the same, but it can break your teeth. The advantage is that the batch lasts longer, as the other consumers are away at the dentist ????.
• Before it has completely cooled mark into squares with a knife.

OLD FASHIONED CREAMY COCOA FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8"x8" pan** (See Notes) with parchment or non-stick foil with a piece that is long enough to line the bottom and come up and over two opposite sides of the pan. (use these as "handles" to get the cooled fudge out of the pan). Spray with pan spray. You can also spray or butter the pan well, but using parchment or non-stick foil will make it easier to get the fudge out of the pan.
• Place the sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan that is much larger than you think you need. 3 quart size will work just fine.
• Stir well, and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. You can stir it and scrape the sides of the pan until it starts to boil.
• Allow the mixture to boil until it reaches 234F. This is just under the soft ball stage, but this is the correct temperature for making cocoa fudge. (If you're making chocolate fudge, cook to 238F, which is the soft ball stage.)
• Move the pan off the burner and drop in the butter and the vanilla. Don't stir them in (if you stir too soon, you'll end up with grainy fudge).
• Let the mixture cool to 110F. The pan will feel warm but by no means hot. If you're using a "leave-in" candy thermometer, there will be no question. If you don't have one, occasionally check the temperature with your instant read thermometer (that's what I do).
• Once the candy has cooled to the correct temperature, begin stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. You can also scoop up a bunch of the warm candy and let it pour back into the pot. This will make you feel fancy, and it will help to bring the temperature of the candy down more quickly. Keep stirring and stirring until the candy is just starting to lose its gloss and thicken up.
• Dump in the pecans if using, and stir them in quickly.
• Scrape the now-quite-thick fudge into the pan and moosh it into the corners with a spatula. I sprinkled some flaky sea salt on top of mine. You can too if you want. Or not.
• Allow the candy to set up for at least an hour before slicing with a sharp knife.
• Store at room temperature in a tightly-sealed container for 3-4 days. But it will be gone before then.

DAD'S FAMOUS FUDGE

Steps:

• 1. Mix together sugar,evaporated milk,and marshmellows in large heavy pan. Cook on low heat til it starts to bubble, stir constantly. After it starts to bubble, cook for 6 minutes.
• 2. stir in butter, chocolate chips, stir til melted and mixed well. Add vanilla and walnuts and mix well. Pour into buttered 13x9 glass dish. Cool.

OLD FASHIONED HARD FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil. Generously grease the foil with butter. Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix well. Using a wooden spoon (do not use a whisk), stir in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the milk comes to a full, rolling boil. Let it boil without stirring until it reaches 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage, drop a small amount in very cold water to test it - it should form a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water). Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and vanilla to the saucepan but DO NOT STIR. Just let the mixture sit until it has reached 110-120 degrees F. Once cooled, beat the fudge with the wooden spoon until it thickens and has lost some of its glossiness. Quickly spread the fudge in the greased pan. Let cool slowly (do not rush the cooling process or it may not set up) then cut into squares when completely cooled. Store the fudge wrapped loosely in foil in the refrigerator. cook's notes You can use other flavor extracts in place of vanilla (peppermint, caramel, strawberry, coffee, etc). Add-ins such as dried fruit or nuts can be added as it sets. Do not use margarine as it has a higher water content that can keep the fudge from setting up properly.

GRANDMA LORI'S OLD-FASHIONED FUDGE

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan.
• Combine dry ingredients in heavy 4 quart saucepan.
• Stir in milk.
• Bring to a "bubbly" boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Boil, without stirring, to 234 degrees (soft ball stage). Remove from heat. Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees.
• Beat with wooden spoon until thickens and loses gloss.
• Quickly spread in prepared pan.

DAD'S FUDGE

Steps:

• Before beginning to cook fudge, be sure to have an 8-inch square or round baking dish buttered (do not use non-stick cooking spray).
• Have hand held electric mixer set up and ready to use.
• Have butter, vanilla and nuts measured and ready to add.
• If you wish to have the nuts in the fudge, toast them in the oven at 350 deg F for 10 minutes shaking after the first 5 minutes.
• Set nuts aside to cool.
• Measure sugar, cocoa and salt into a 4-quart heavy bottom saucepan (I use either my aluminum-clad or copper-clad stainless steel dutch oven).
• Note: If the saucepan is smaller than this you will need to reduce the recipe or it will boil over!
• Blend together dry ingredients in saucepan, then add the milk, stirring until blended.
• Bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
• Note: If mixture is spattering out of pan, reduce heat slightly.
• (Because of spattering, I like to use my long handled wooden spoons.) Boil until mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water.
• Remove from heat.
• Immediately add butter, vanilla and toasted nuts, if desired.
• Beat at high speed with electric hand-mixer until fudge begins to stiffen.
• Quickly, dump into prepared, buttered pan scraping sides of saucepan and spread evenly.
• Fudge will lose its gloss during this last step.
• While still warm, cut into desired servings.
• Garnish the top of each serving with a whole nut meats if desired.
• Attention: If the stiffening and loss of gloss occur simultaneously you have overcooked it.
• All is not lost, return to saucepan, add an additional tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons milk and melt until smooth over medium heat (fudge will still be edible, but will be somewhat sugary if this becomes necessary).