Cooking with the Journal-One Fudge, Many Flavors

Clockwise from lower left:  Eggnog Cherry, Cinnamon, Peanut Butter,
 Toasted Almond, Butterscotch Pecan and Milk Chocolate

Besides the bread book I mentioned last week and the two cookie books, Farm Journal published one other specialty cookbook, Homemade Candy, 1970.

This book is my “go-to” candy making book and has recipes for all kinds of candies and confections.  One of my favorite recipes from this book is No-Fail Fudge.  Many of you probably have this recipe in your files already.  If you don’t, you should. 

There are other marshmallow or marshmallow crème and chocolate chip fudge recipes around, but I have always liked this one the best.  This recipe uses evaporated milk, cut-up marshmallows, and chocolate chips which are ingredients that I always have in my pantry.  The fudge is very easy to make and takes only about 10-15 minutes to get into the pan.  In another 15 to 20 minutes the fudge is ready to eat.  You can go from wanting fudge to eating fudge in less than an hour.

Any flavor of baking chips can be used in this recipe which makes it very versatile.  Besides semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, cinnamon, and white chocolate chips can be used.  My preference for white chocolate chips is Ghirardelli Classic White Premium Baking Chips.   They seem to melt a little easier than Nestles.  I have used the Nestles, however, and they will do the job and can easily be found on sale this time of year.  Here is a little trick that I use.  Most baking chip flavors other than chocolate come in packages that have 1 3/4 cups in them.  I keep a package of white chips on hand.  I measure out about 7/8 cup of the chips I am going to use and make up the rest of the cup with the white chips.   That way I get 2 full cups of chips from one package.

Mini marshmallows can be used in this recipe, but I like to use the cut-up regular marshmallows.  The cut-up marshmallows seem to melt a little quicker than the mini ones do.

The original recipes does not call for nuts, but I like nuts in my fudge so almost always use them.  I toast the nuts and try to pair the nuts with the fudge flavor.  I use walnuts with chocolate, peanuts with peanut butter, pecans with butterscotch, almonds with white chocolate.

Many other ingredients can be added to the fudge:  toasted coconut, chopped dried pineapple, candied fruits, chopped, well-drained maraschino cherries, chopped candy.  Whatever your mind can dream up.  I also use various flavorings and extracts with the white chocolate chips and have made anise, almond, cherry, orange, maple, and black walnut flavored fudge.  Mint flavor is very good with both chocolate and white fudge. Food coloring can be used to tint white fudge the color of the flavor used.  For example, red with cherry flavoring, orange with orange flavoring, green with mint flavoring, etc.

An easy way to dress up the fudge is to top the fudge with other ingredients:  sprinkle the nuts on the top, use crushed peppermint candies, coconut, cut up or crushed candy bars, crumbled up cookies, etc.  Pat the topping gently into the fudge with your hand.

To be successful with this fudge, you need to know what a full-rolling boil is.  That is a boil that cannot be stirred down when stirred with a spoon or spatula.  Time the 5 minutes when the mixture reaches that point.

I have only one 8-inch square metal baking pan so rather than butter the pan, I line it with about a 20-inch length of aluminum foil and spray the foil.  I put the fudge in the pan, let it set, take the fudge from the pan and fold the foil over the fudge.  To store the fudge, I put the foil covered fudge in a gallon-size, zip-top bag, seal the bag and put it in a cool, dry place.  I leave the fudge uncut until I am ready to serve it or give it away.  Not cutting the fudge until ready to serve it keeps it from drying out.

No-Fail Fudge

Homemade Candy

Farm Journal Books, 1970

1 (6 oz.) can evaporated milk (2/3 c.)

1 2/3 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. cut-up marshmallows (about 11) or 1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows

1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (1 cup)

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped, toasted nuts or other ingredient (opt.)

Combine milk, sugar and salt in a 2-qt. heavy, non-stick saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a full-rolling boil and boil steadily 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Add marshmallows, chocolate chips and vanilla.  Beat vigorously until chips and marshmallows are melted.  Add nuts or other ingredients.  Pour into lightly buttered 8-inch square pan.  Cool slightly.  Store uncut or cut in 36 pieces.  Makes 1 3/4 pounds.

Variations for the Fudges pictured.

Eggnog Cherry Fudge:  Use white chocolate chips, add 1 t. rum extract, 1/2 t. ground nutmeg and 1/2 c. chopped red candied cherries.

Cinnamon Fudge:  Use 1/2 c. white chocolate chips and 1/2 c. cinnamon flavor chips.  I get my cinnamon chips from Prepared Pantry, and they are more potent than supermarket cinnamon chips.  If you are using the supermarket chips (I usually can’t find them),  go ahead and use 1 c.

Peanut Butter Fudge:  Use peanut butter chips and 1/2 c. chopped peanuts.

Toasted Almond Fudge:  Use white chocolate chips, 1/2 to 1 t. almond extract, and 1/2 c. toasted, slivered almonds.

Butterscotch Pecan:  Use butterscotch chips and 1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans.

Milk Chocolate:  Use milk chocolate chips and 1/2 c. chopped, toasted walnuts.

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