Oh Fudge!

[tracilicious]

Chocolate Fudge that is. :p I tried to make some last night and it didn't exactly turn out. It never really poured into the pan, I had to scoop it. I'm thinking my problem was ingredients. I used turbinado sugar instead of refined, coconut oil instead of butter, and sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk (are those two the same?). Which ingredient was my downfall? It was really really grainy and way too sweet. I was making dark fudge too.

I really need to make the best fudge ever. I'm throwing my sister a tenth anniversary party in a few weeks, and I had the bright idea of having a fudge cake. I'm thinking of making six different kinds of fudge, cutting them in even squares and putting them together in a cake shape. Then I'll write the "Happy Anniversary" in Caramel and garnish with fresh cut strawberries. If I can't make good fudge, this won't work very well.

Any ideas for types of fudge? Any general party ideas? It's 25-30 people including six or seven kids. I should note that it's my family who comes to a dinner party with a, "Free food? Score!" mentallity, so I have to go over on food, not under. Right now I'm thinking of making a few big, yummy salads, lots of garlic bread, a few big pasta dishes (maybe lasagna and fettucine alfredo w/chicken and artichoke hearts), a bunch of baked chicken, and beef of some sort.

I should mention that I don't have recipes for any of that stuff and I've never cooked for this many people before. So any ideas are welcome!

[Matterhorn Fan]

If it's grainy, you probably didn't cook the sugar-butter-cream mixture long enough. At least, when I've rushed that step, I've always had it come out grainy (and it didn't set).

[BarTopDancer]

Buy a jar or three of marshmellow fluff. Follow instructions.

Or drive out to DL and buy fudge. :p

[tracilicious]

Really? I timed it for exactly five minutes, stirring constantly just like the recipe said. How will I know when it's done? My thoughts on the grainyness were that the turbinado sugar is a lot more coarse than refined sugar. And if sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are not the same thing, then perhaps the condensed milk is thicker?

[tracilicious]

Buy a jar or three of marshmellow fluff. Follow instructions.

Or drive out to DL and buy fudge. :p


I want spectacular fudge though. Not just regular old fudge. The part that made me saddest about it turning out so badly was that I couldn't have my tiny piece of Disneyland. :(

[BarTopDancer]

The part that made me saddest about it turning out so badly was that I couldn't have my tiny piece of Disneyland. :(

:( It's only a 5 hour drive. ;)

[Matterhorn Fan]

I would presume that coarser sugar would need to be cooked longer. I'm not sure about the evaporated/condensed milk (I rarely use either). My fudge recipe calls for half & half.

[Snowflake]

Here is the original Fantasy Fudge recipe from the Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar (they changed it, this is better and dead esy, fool proof)

Easy Fantasy Fudge

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine
3 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk (5 oz.)
1 pkg. (12 oz.) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar (7 oz.) Kraft Marshmallow Creme
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

Lightly grease 13 x 9 inch pan.
Mix margarine, sugar and milk in heavy 2 1/2 or 3 quart saucepan; bring to fulling rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes on medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F.,stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Cool at room temp.; cut into squares. (Makes 3 lbs.)

[Ponine]

Chocolate Fudge that is. :p I tried to make some last night and it didn't exactly turn out. It never really poured into the pan, I had to scoop it. I'm thinking my problem was ingredients. I used turbinado sugar instead of refined, coconut oil instead of butter, and sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk (are those two the same?). Which ingredient was my downfall? It was really really grainy and way too sweet. I was making dark fudge too.


ok....
sweetened condensed and evaporated are not the same. Not even close, imo
(sweetened is just that, sweetened, and added to your overall sugar content)

The sugar... thats workable

The grainy thing, could be a number is issues, among them, cooking to to high of a temp.
Matterhorn fan is right too... they could not have been cooked enough.
it sounds as if you are cooking by time, and not by temp?

candy is really a temp sensitive thing

[Prudence]

Skip the fudge and make brigadeiros. (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Brigadeiro) They are absolutely divine, and a little lighter than fudge, which is good because you feel like you can eat more, but bad, because you typically do. They are amazing. According to the Brazilian visiting scholar who introduced me to them, you can NOT have a party without them. Plus, they're dead easy to make. And you could still arrange them in some sort of shape.

[tracilicious]

ok....
sweetened condensed and evaporated are not the same. Not even close, imo
(sweetened is just that, sweetened, and added to your overall sugar content)

The sugar... thats workable

The grainy thing, could be a number is issues, among them, cooking to to high of a temp.
Matterhorn fan is right too... they could not have been cooked enough.
it sounds as if you are cooking by time, and not by temp?

candy is really a temp sensitive thing


I don't have a candy thermometer. I guess I should get one. The too high of a temp thing sounds right, as the sugar kept browning at the bottom (carmelizing?). Good to know about the milk. I knew LoT would have the answer. :p

Prudence, those sound so good. I'll have to make a batch to test. ;)

[Not Afraid]

Yummmmmmy!!!!

I haven't made candy in about 30 years. My Mom used to make all sortsof good things. She used to can as well. That art sort of passed me by.

[tracilicious]

I also need help with the real food. Don't forget that!

[Motorboat Cruiser]

I also need help with the real food. Don't forget that!

You say that as if candy isn't real food.

[Snowflake]

You say that as if candy isn't real food.
ROTFLMAO :snap:

[Scrooge McSam]

Wait a minute... this sounds like a job for...

(wait for it)

...THE BEST FUDGE RECIPE EVER (EVER...ever...ever...)

Seriously, kids... This is my favorite and the easiest fudge recipe I've ever found... no overcooking, no undercooking, perfect everytime. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

It comes from Paula Deen on the Food Network.

Chocolate Cheese Fudge

2 lbs confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts, pecans or walnuts

Spray the bottom of a 9x9 square pan lightly with a nonstick spray.

In a large bowl sift together the sugar and cocoa.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the cheese and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and nuts and stir to combine.

Pour the cheese mixture into the sugar/cocoa mixture and stir until completely mixed. The candy will be very stiff. Use a clean hand and squeeze the candy between your fingers to mix thoroughly.

Remove candy from bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

Place pan in refrigerator until candy is firm.

To serve candy, cut into 1 inch squares.

I made this for the folks at work and ended up giving out the recipe to about 20 people.

Enjoy!

[Ponine]

I don't have a candy thermometer. I guess I should get one. The too high of a temp thing sounds right, as the sugar kept browning at the bottom (carmelizing?). Good to know about the milk. I knew LoT would have the answer. :p

Prudence, those sound so good. I'll have to make a batch to test. ;)
I'd be interested to try scrooges recipie...
My experience comes from making it in 20lb batches... but still.

ok, yes, if your sugar was browning, you had a great many issues going on.
Get a thermometer, then we'll talk again.
What kind of chocolate are you using?
And where'd you get the recipie?

[Matterhorn Fan]

Velveeta?! In fudge?!

Wait a minute....let's make that:

Velveeta?! In anything?!

That's not food, let alone dessert.

[CoasterMatt]

Isn't Velveeta that stuff NASA created for cushioning the astronauts?

[jdramj]

ok, yes, if your sugar was browning, you had a great many issues going on.



I agree.

The switch in the milk was most defintely wrong. Evaporated milk is literally water removed from the milk. Condensed milk is sugar added to milk and then evaporated (20-30% less than evaporated milk), thus leaving more sugar behind when cooked.

The browning and grainy sugar is probably from scortching the mixture. It heated up too fast to properly dissolve the sugar, and too hot to making it brown. You should have a nice rolling (easy) boil while stirring constantly.

I can't really comment on the thermometer aspect, I don't use one.

[Scrooge McSam]

Velveeta?! In fudge?!

That was my reaction too... until I tried it ;)

[tracilicious]

I don't think I could bring myself to buy velveeta. For anything.

I bought the right ingredients, and a candy thermometer, and everything turned out great. My cake idea is bust though, as one of the guests of honor doesn't like fudge. :(

I do still need good recipes for food, if anyone has ideas.

[Ponine]

Oh well heck... that just blows that idea!

[Matterhorn Fan]

I do still need good recipes for food, if anyone has ideas.What kind of a meal do you want to serve? Can you at least give us a starting point? Mexican? Italian? Grilling? Cold make-it-ahead-of-time food?

[tracilicious]

What kind of a meal do you want to serve? Can you at least give us a starting point? Mexican? Italian? Grilling? Cold make-it-ahead-of-time food?

This should give you an idea. ;)

Any ideas for types of fudge? Any general party ideas? It's 25-30 people including six or seven kids. I should note that it's my family who comes to a dinner party with a, "Free food? Score!" mentallity, so I have to go over on food, not under. Right now I'm thinking of making a few big, yummy salads, lots of garlic bread, a few big pasta dishes (maybe lasagna and fettucine alfredo w/chicken and artichoke hearts), a bunch of baked chicken, and beef of some sort.

[Matterhorn Fan]

Foot, meet mouth.

Perhaps this might redeem myself?


Spinach & Artichoke Dip

4 cloves garlic
1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/2 jar Alfredo sauce
1 C shredded mozzarella
1/3 C graded parmesan
4 oz. cream cheese (half a block)

Preaheat oven to 350 F.

Roast garlic in oven for 20-30 min., until soft. Squeeze garlic from skins

Spreak garlic, spinach, artichokes, Alfredo, mozzarella, parmesan & cream cheese in a glass or ceramic baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake 30 min. or until cheese is warm & bubbly. You'll want to stir at least once.

Serve warm with garlic bread, toast, pita, or tortilla chips.

[Drince88]

Wait a minute... this sounds like a job for...

(wait for it)

...THE BEST FUDGE RECIPE EVER (EVER...ever...ever...)

Seriously, kids... This is my favorite and the easiest fudge recipe I've ever found... no overcooking, no undercooking, perfect everytime. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

Oh my! I MADE this recipe when I was maybe 12 or younger! I found it somewhere and talked Mom into letting me try it. I don't remember that part, but I remember the velveta and the powdered sugar in it. I think I made it more than once, even!

Nope, I was wrong - a few years back Mom compiled all the 'family' recipes into note cards for all of us, and for some reason the cheese fudge made it in! The recipe I had called for 'pasteurized process cheese spread' as in, "the stuff in the jar". You just mixed everything together (no melting even required - maybe that's why Mom let me make it - no pesky stove to deal with!)



To redeem myself in your eyes - here's a couple of favorite (of more people then just the cheese fudge likers!):

Green Bean Salad
1 can french sliced green beans (I'll some times get the seasoned beans)
1 T vinegar
1/4 cup tomato juice (or V8)
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 T salad oil
Artificial sweetner to equal 2 tsp sugar
1 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
2 sliced hard cooked eggs (I never add this - too much work/planning ahead!)
3 tsp diced pimentos (if you have them)

Drain beans - mix everything togehter except the eggs - chill - add eggs as garnish. For an average sized salad - double the recipe.

Nutty Broccoli Slaw
1 pkg chicken ramen noodles
1 pkg (16 oz) broccoli slaw mix (sold by the bags of lettuce)
2 cups sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 can (6 oz) ripe olives, drained and halved
1 cup sunflower kernels, toasted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toaster
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

Crush ramen noodles and place in large bowl. Add slaw mix, onions, broccoli, olives, sunflower kernels and almonds. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine the sugar, vinegar, oil and contents of seasoning package; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately

[Matterhorn Fan]

Broccoli slaw mix also makes great stir-fry, and it keeps fresh way longer than regular salad mix. I love that stuff!

[Prudence]

This is super yummy, has meat, and can be served cold - it's our favorite potluck dish. It's supposed to be "airplane food" since they barely serve edibles any more. (And since it's from "Cooking Light" magazine, we feel all smugly healthy as we eat an enormous, oversized portion.)

We usually make a double batch - it's that good.

1 1/2 Tbl EVOO (As Rachael Ray would say.)
1 Tbl lime juice
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce (Ryan probably uses more.)
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 cups chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (it says fresh, but we usually use frozen.)
3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled queso fresco (we probably add more.)
1/2 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk, set aside.

Place barley in a medium saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again.

Add barley, chicken, and remaining ingredients to oil mixture, toss well to coat. Cover and chill.