Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Couldn't be Cheaper Fudge

The one kind of fudge I can make bears no resemblance to the creamy squares found at candy stores.  It's simple to make but can be messed up if you try really hard.  Sometimes as a kid I forgot to beat the stuff and the result totally looked like the Blob.  You know, the Blob from the original black and white movie, when it oozed through the vents at the theater.  It was gross but I ate it anyway.  Um, fudge!  Now you try -
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa  powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 stick butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a saucepan mix sugar, cocoa and salt.  Add milk and stir. 
Turn the burner on medium and cook until the mixture boils, stir it sometimes. I watch it boil really high and foamy then stir until it boils down.  Now here's the tricky part.  "Cook to the soft ball stage".  Raise your hand if you've ever tried this. Now both of you can put your hands down.  Get a glass of cold water, drip some fudge mixture in then put your hand in the glass, grab the stuff and try to roll it in a ball. Oh, and don't put too much water in the glass or it will spill out when you put your hand in.  Forgot that part.  If it rolls into a nice squishy ball you're gold. Now take the pan off the burner.  Add the butter and vanilla then beat the fudge until it starts to get really thick.  Unless you want the Blob effect.  Pour out onto a buttered plate. By the time you've licked the spoon and scraped every molecule of fudge out of the pan the fudge should be ready!
Now if you'd like to make actual good fudge, here are some handy resources:
Fudge Cookbooks

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