Beware fandom speak.
We played Hobbit this evening, Sis and I did. She was Legolas (always) and I was first Tauriel and then Gandalf, because she said I made a better Gandalf (I'm going to just let that be.) We were on a journey, from the Lonely Mountain to Bree, to find Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, which is where last night's movie left off (before the "next" movies start--the LOTR/Hobbit order in reverse-chronology is going to present the same problems as SW!)
Anyway, we had our weapons, her cloak, a horse (not Shadowfax, though), and of course Elven lembas bread. But not just any lembas bread, no. This was CHOCOLATE!
Yep, straight from the tin of fudge we made last night as part of our Advent activities. Lord Legolas told me that it takes more chocolate lembas bread to fill up, unlike the one bite of the plain.
And I'm sure it helped us in our journey, though we broke off before we found the Ranger.
I have long told the kids about fudge and how I went through a fudge-making period before they were born. I became quite adept, well, as much as a home-amateur can (no marble Mackinac fudge tables for me, though.) And I made lots of different kinds. But boiling sugar with children was never my idea of a good time. I burned my finger last night just a little to prove that. But they're older now and follow directions in the kitchen and so we cooked it up. I know, I know, the "no fail fudge" is not true fudge. But I'm okay with that. It tastes good enough and is a good start.
'Cos, you know, the journey through Middle Earth is long and hard and no doubt we're going to need more lembas bread . . . . in various flavors.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Chocolate "Lembas Bread" aka Never Fail Fudge from the Fluff Jar
I don't think I had ever actually used the recipe on the back of the jar before, especially because we didn't have Fluff in Texas, but another brand. Anyway, it works well as a first fudge and, because we probably over-caramelized the mixture, it had a richer flavor than I expected. Sis loved making it and used it as a prop when we played Hobbit (Dec. 2014.)
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 small (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1-7.5 oz jar Marshmallow Fluff
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1-12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate
Combine first five ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Bring to boil over medium heat, being careful not to mistake air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring, for 4 minutes (use softball test.) Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and chocolate until melted. Pour into a buttered 9x9" pan and cool.
Fluff label
Creamsicle Fudge
I put this together from a
couple of sources to make one of my favorite flavors—creamsicle! It was one of the four fudges I made for
holiday party 2000.
1-12 oz. bag
of white chocolate chips
2 ¼ cups sugar
7 oz. (1
jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2
stick butter)
½ tablespoon
orange extract
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème,
evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat; stir in orange extract.
Immediately stir in white chocolate chips. Spread into prepared (foiled and greased)
pan. Cool at room temperature and cut.
The first and most famous
of my fudges! Never fails. And the marshmallow crème base can be adapted
for other fudges. The peanut butter part
reminds me of Miss Betty’s mother’s peanut fudge but it is not quite the same.
About 5
dozen pieces or about 2 pounds fudge.
1 cup
Reese’s Peanut Butter chips
1 cup
chocolate chips
2 ¼ cups
sugar
7 oz. (1
jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2
stick butter)
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Line 8 inch square pan with foil,
extending foil over edges of pan. In
medium bowl, place peanut butter chips.
In second medium bowl, place chocolate chips. In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar,
marshmallow crème, evaporated milk, and butter.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil;
boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Immediately stir half of the hot mixture (1 ½ cups) into peanut butter
chips until chips are completely melted; quickly spread into prepared pan. Stir remaining hot mixture into chocolate
chips until chips are completely melted.
Quickly spread over top of peanut butter layer. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate until
firm. Use foil to lift fudge out of pan;
peel off foil. Cut into 1-inch
squares. Store in tightly covered container
at room temperature.
Miss Betty’s Mother’s Fudge
Miss Lorraine lost all of her recipes
in Katrina, when she lost her home, and so tried to recall the recipe from
memory for me after Miss Betty died. I
remember having this back when the World’s Fair was in New Orleans and we went
over to Waveland to visit Miss Lorraine (and Jeff Davis’s house). I haven’t tried it yet and so don’t know if
this recipe works. And, in some ways, it
doesn’t have to. It doesn’t say how much
peanut butter—I’m going to guess ¾ to 1 cup.
I can guess at the vanilla, too (1 teaspoon).
4 teaspoons
cocoa
3 cups sugar
1 small can
cream (5 oz)
1 stick oleo
Peanut
butter
vanilla
In large
Pyrex measuring cup (64 oz), mix sugar, cream, and oleo and cocoa. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Stir.
Repeat 3x. Microwave on hi
1-minute. Remove from microwave and add
vanilla and Peanut butter. Beat by hand
2 minutes—pour into buttered cookie sheet.
Let cool and cut into pieces when fully set.
Miss
Lorraine
From the Skaarup
Laboratories fudge website, I made this for our holiday party 2000. It’s a little brittle but tasty.
1/8 cup
butter
3 cup sugar
1 cup egg
nog (no “light”)
6 oz. white
chips (or 6 oz. butterscotch chips, gives extra zing)
1 ½ cup mini
marshmallows
1 cup
almonds, chopped (optional)
½ teaspoon
nutmeg
½ teaspoon
cinnamon
Line a 9 x 9” pan with aluminum foil
and set aside. Keep butter chilled in
the refrigerator. Spray sides of a large
saucepan with butter-flavor non-stick spray.
Heat egg nog and sugar at medium
setting. Bring to a rolling boil (medium
to medium high heat) while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Boil for 2 full minutes by the clock. Now fold in the marshmallows, cinnamon, and
nutmeg; the boil will probably stop until the marshmallows are completely
dissolved. Bring back to a rolling boil
for another 6 full minutes by the clock.
Stir continuously.
The mixture will start to turn brown
during the boil. If you get brown flakes
in the mixture then turn down the heat a little.
Remove from heat and add the butter,
chips, and nuts. Stir like crazy until
thoroughly mixed or until it starts to lose its glossy appearance. Pour into prepared pan. At this point you may want to sprinkle a
little nutmeg on the surface.
Cool at room temperature. Remove from pan, remove foil, cut into
squares.
3 cups
semisweet chocolate chips
1-14 oz. can
chocolate or original sweetened condensed milk
dash of salt
½ to 1 cup
chopped nuts, optional
1 ½ teaspoon
vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, over low heat,
melt chips with condensed milk and salt.
Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into a wax paper-lined 8- or
9-inch pan.
Chilll two hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper,
and cut into squares. Store covered in
the refrigerator.
Makes 2 lbs
Irish Cream Truffle Fudge
Miss B brought the makings
for this, which she’d seen on the internet, and we made it when she and Miss J visited our house for the first time.
I’d seen the recipe on the internet too and had wanted to try it. It was okay, not a true fudge, but fun to
make together while Miss J and Mama trimmed trees and did other house
things. So stereotypical!
3 cups
semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white
chocolate chips
¼ cup butter
3 cups
powdered sugar
1 cup Irish
Cream liqueur
1 ½ cups
chopped nuts
1 cup
semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup white
chocolate chips
4
tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur
2
tablespoons butter
Butter an 8 x 8” pan.
In the top half of a double boiler,
melt 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips, and ¼ cup
butter until soft enough to stir.
Stir in the powdered sugar and
liqueur until mixture is smooth. Stir in
nuts. Place mixture in the prepared pan
and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over top; press and smooth top down.
In the top half of a double boiler,
melt remaining chocolates until soft.
Remove from heat and with a fork beat in the butter and liqueur until
smooth. Spread topping over cooled fudge
with a knife. If a smooth top is
important, place plastic wrap over the top.
Refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours at least. This fudge can be easily frozen.
allrecipes.com
Key Lime Fudge
Another in the
holiday 2000 fudges, Houston series.
This is incredible stuff!
7 oz. (1 jar)
marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2
stick) butter
2 ¼ cup
sugar
12 oz. white
chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup key
lime juice
1 teaspoon
lemon extract
1 cup
toasted almond slices
Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease.
Place white chocolate chips and toasted almond slices in a
large bowl.
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème,
evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat; stir in lime juice and lemon extract. Immediately stir into mixture of white
chocolate chips and toasted almonds.
Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch
squares.
Oh, Fudge!
Lemon Butter Fudge
Just incredible fudge. Very much like Mackinac Island fudge—kinda
sugary crust and then melt-in-your mouth.
And the butter/lemon mixture is amazing!
The first fudge of Christmas 2001.
And the first one I’ve made from the book Oh, Fudge!
2 cups sugar
½ cup (5 oz.
can) evaporated milk
1 ½
tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon
salt
1 x 3 inch
piece lemon zest (or zest of one lemon)
4
tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
Optional:
½ to 1
teaspoon lemon extract
½ cup
chopped nuts
4 drops
yellow food coloring
STEP 1: Prewarm thermometer; use 2-quart saucepan;
butter upper sides of saucepan; measure all ingredients except butter, food
coloring, and optionals, and dump into saucepan. Grease and, if necessary, line a 5 x 10 inch
pan. Freeze all the butter. Fill glass with ice cubes and water, and fill
sink half-inch full of water.
STEP 2: Dissolve sugar. Mixture may look curdled, but it will turn
out fine. Stir constantly with wooden
spoon over low heat until gritty sounds cease and spoon glides smoothly over
bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium
and bring to a boil.
STEP 3: Boil after washing down any crystals that may
have formed with pastry brush dipped in hot water from thermometer bath, using
as little water as possible. Introduce
prewarmed thermometer. Reduce heat while
retaining boil. Stir no more than
necessary.
STEP 4: Test in ice-cold water when mixtures thickens
and bubbles become noisy. Ball, formed
in ice water, should hold its shape until heat from your hand begins to flatten
it and should be al dente—slightly chewy.
Approximately 236 to 244°F.
STEP 5: Shock by placing saucepan in sink.
STEP 6: Seed by adding, without stirring, frozen
butter. Then allow to cool.
STEP 7: Stir when lukewarm and “skin” forms on top
(110°F). Return thermometer to its hot-water
bath to soak clean. Add food coloring
and check flavoring, adding optional lemon extract if desired. Remove zest (or leave in if grated), then
agitate with mixer and not by hand.
Pause frequently to allow fudge to react.
STEP 8: Watch for fudge to thicken, lose its sheen,
become light in color or streaked with lighter shades, give off some heat,
suddenly stiffen. If mixing in food
processor, fudge will flow sluggishly back to center. By mixer, mixer waves will become very
distinct. By hand, fudge will “snap”
with each stroke.
STEP 9: Add optional chopped nuts like pecans just
before you pour.
STEP 10: Pour, score, and store when cool in airtight
container in refrigerator or at room temperature.
Oh, Fudge!
I made this for the museum but found it very sugary and sweet. I might try it again with less sugar.
Makes 45 pieces or about 1 pound
2 ½ cups
sugar
¼ cup
boiling water
½ cup light
cream
2
tablespoons butter
½ cup
chopped pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon
finely shredded orange peel
Line 9 x 5 x 3 pan with foil; butter
and set aside.
To caramelize sugar, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan heat 1 cup
sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, till sugar melts and turns a rich
brown color. This should take 10-15
minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Slowly add boiling water, stirring carefully
until sugar dissolves. Add the remaining
1 ½ cups sugar, cream, and butter. Cook over medium high heat to boiling,
stirring constantly to dissolve additional sugar. This should take about 5 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to pan.
Cook over medium low heat stirring
frequently until thermometer registers 240 (softball stage). Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady
rate. This should take about 8 to 10
minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Cool, without stirring to 110, about 55
minutes. Remove thermometer. Beat vigorously until just beginning to
thicken; add orange peels and pecans (optional). Continue beating til very thick but still
glossy. This should take 4 to 5 minutes total (or less, keep an eye on it). Quickly turn fudge into prepared pan. While warm, score into squares. When firm, lift out of pan; cut into
squares. Store tightly covered.
Better Homes and
Gardens Candy
Orange Chocolate Fudge
I made this as
part of the holiday 2000 fudges, Houston series. MMmmmm!
2 ¼ cup
sugar
7 oz. (1
jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup butter
(1/2 stick butter)
2 cups
chocolate chips
1 teaspoon
orange extract
Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease.
In a medium bowl, place chocolate chips.
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème,
evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat; stir in orange extract.
Immediately stir mixture into chocolate chips. Pour into lined and greased pan.
Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch
squares.
The candies turn the white
fudge pink! One of the holiday 2000
fudges (and my favorite, I think), adapted from Taste of Home.
2 ¼ cup
sugar
7 oz. (1
jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup butter
(1/2 stick butter)
1 cup white
chocolate chips
½ teaspoon
peppermint extract
¼ cup
crushed peppermint candy
1 cup
chocolate chips
½ teaspoon
vanilla extract
Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease.
In one medium bowl, place chocolate chips and vanilla
extract.. In another bowl, place white
chocolate chips, crushed peppermint candies, and peppermint extract.
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème,
evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat; stir in almond extract.
Immediately stir half of mixture into chocolate chips and the other half
into white chocolate and peppermint candies.
Pour chocolate mixture in pan first, then peppermint mixture.
Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch
squares.
Taste of Home magazine
Very yummy, especially
with the new adaptation, which was tested in the museum. Mom’s note (10/01): “Mom’s Favorite!”
Makes 36 squares
2 ½ cups
confectioner’s sugar
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup butter
12 oz. white
chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon
almond extract
¾ cup dried
cherries, cranberries, or apricots, coarsely chopped
¾ cup
toasted almond slivers
Line an 8 inch pan with foil;
grease. Mix sugar and milk in heavy
saucepan. Over medium heat, add butter
and bring to a boil; stir constantly.
Without stirring, boil constantly for 5 minutes.
Over low heat, add chocolate and
almond extract. Stir then whisk until
chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
Stir in dried fruit and almonds.
Pour into prepared pan.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until
firm. Invert pan, peel off foil, and cut
into 1 inch squares.
To toast almonds: Spread in a single layer on a cookie
sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes,
shaking pan occasionally, until they begin to brown and turn fragrant.
Alternate: White Christmas Fudge
7 oz. (1
jar) marshmallow crème
¾ cup
evaporated milk
¼ cup (1/2
stick) butter
2 ¼ cup
sugar
12 oz. white
chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon
almond extract
¾ cup dried
cherries, cranberries, or apricots, coarsely chopped
¾ cup
toasted almond slivers
Line an 8 inch pan with foil; grease.
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, marshmallow crème,
evaporated milk, and butter. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 5
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat; stir in almond extract.
Immediately stir into mixture of nuts and berries.
Allow to cool at room temperature and then cut into 1-inch
squares.
Mocha Fudge
I made this fudge for our
second holiday party in 1999 but no one could taste the coffee. Perhaps increase?
Makes 2
lbs.
3 cups
chocolate chips
1-14 oz. can
sweetened condensed milk
3
tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon
instant coffee
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
In saucepan over low heat, melt
chips and condensed milk. Remove from
heat. Stir in syrup, coffee, and
vanilla. Spread evenly into foil-lined
8-or 9-inch square pan. Chill two hours
or until firm. Cut into squares.
I'd say we're full of the holiday spirit now, with cheer arriving almost daily since our holiday/birthday weekend in Vermont.
