Christmas Fudge

Recently, it seems as though I’ve been on a bit of a fudge fest in the Only Crumbs Remain kitchen.  Our Raspberry and White Chocolate Fudge was loved by friends and family so much that they asked us to make more.  More!  Unlike poor Oliver, who was shouted down by Mr Bumble with a bellowing “More!!!”, we obliged and donned our apron to stir another batch of hot molten sugar.

Now, if you’re anything like me, your mind will wander whilst constantly stirring the contents of a pan!  Perhaps the act of stirring, stirring and stirring some more is partially hypnotic, who knows, but a recent batch of homemade fudge had me dreaming up different flavour combinations which could be introduced into this sweet confectionery.   Amongst those flavours was this Christmas fudge, though you’ll have to show a little patience for the other ideas!  So as not to miss out on the amazing flavour combinations to come, why not subscribe to Only Crumbs Remain by entering your e-mail address in the box on the right hand side!?

function printDiv(e){var divToPrint=document.getElementById(e);newWin = window.open(“”, “printwin”); newWin.document.write(divToPrint.innerHTML); newWin.print(); newWin.close(); }Our most recent homemade fudge recipe sings out ‘Christmas‘ loud and clear.   This seasonal festive fudge is not only spiced with warming cinnamon and mixed spice, studded with cranberries and other mixed fruits, and contains a hint of orange extract, but the fudge pieces are topped with pretty holly sprinkles!

Now even though those holly sprinkles bring nothing in terms of flavour, having been made merly of sugar and colours, they really finish off this delicious fudge a treat.  Those small red berry sprinkles, nestled amongst a couple of ‘prickly’ holly shaped leaves say ‘Christmas‘ in much the same way as an image of Santa with Rudolph does.

The fudge is topped with a thin layer of white chocolate ganache, which brings a slight colour contrast to the top of the fudge and extra flavour (not that this fudge needs it!) but also allows the sprinkles to sit securely to the fudge.  The use of the chocolate ganache does mean that this treat must be stored in an air tight container in the fridge where it will remain good with the fudge for up to 3 weeks, assuming it lasts that long!

These homemade fudge pieces would be wonderful packaged up as a thank you to your children’s teachers, or to friends and family.  That gift of homemade confectionery could be made even more special if boxed with a selection of flavours, such as our Raspberry and White Chocolate Fudge, traditional Vanilla Fudge or even a Chocolate Orange fudge made in the microwave! (If interested, click on the relevant image to be taken to the recipe).

There’s no denying that homemade fudge does require a little effort, though it’s nothing too taxing.  Around half an hour of constant stirring produces a batch of fudge which can be easily sliced into about 50 generous pieces (when using the brownie tin, I usually cut it into 7×7 pieces), providing enough for at least 4 generous portions with a few sweet treats for yourself too!  In fact, by making your own homemade fudge gifts you’ll save a small fortune.  During a recent visit to a local supermarket I spotted a box of just 8 fudge pieces for £5, yet for a similar amount you could purchase the cream, butter, sugar and flavourings to lovingly make your own batch of fudge which can be divided into bundles and shared with loved ones!

So, let’s get to it and make some Christmas Fudge!

print recipe

Christmas Fudge

by Only Crumbs Remain      December-13-2016

Packed with Christmas flavours of cranberries, cinnamon, mixed spice
and orange, this delicious sweet treat is finished with holly
sprinkles to make a pretty and edible homemade gift for loved ones.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 40 mins     Yield: approx 50 pieces

Specific Equipment
Large heavy based pan which holds a volume of at least 3L
Digital Sugar Thermometer
20cm x 20cm Brownie Tin, or similar.

Ingredients

For the Fudge

• 400ml Double Cream
• 135ml Milk
• 135g Unsalted Butter
• 250g Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 350g White Sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp Ground Mixed Spice
• 40g Mixed Fruit (ensure the fruits aren’t clumped together)
• 40g Dried Cranberries (ensure the fruits aren’t clumped together)
• 1/2 – 1 capful Orange Extract

For the White Chocolate Ganache (optional)

• 70ml Double cream
• 70g White Chocolate

To decorate

• Holly Sprinkles

Method

1. Prepare the tin. Lightly grease and fully line the brownie tin. Ensure that the greaseproof paper goes beyond the rim of the pan, this will help to remove the fudge once it has firmed up.2. Melt the ingredients. Place the double cream, milk, butter and sugars into a heavy based pan. Place over a low heat to allow the ingredients to melt. Constantly stir using a wooden spoon. Ensure all of the ingredients have completely melted before moving onto the next stage – you should no longer hear or feel the granulation of the sugar. Pay particular attention to the ‘corner’ of the pan when listening for sugar granulations.3. Affix the sugar thermometer. Set the digital thermometer to 116℃ /241℉ (soft ball stage) and attach it to the side of the pan. Ensure that the thermometer is secure and not touching the base of the pan.4. Boil. Increase the heat under the pan to allow it to come to the boil whilst stirring all of the time. Boil the mixture, whilst continuing to stir, until it reaches 116℃ / 241℉ (soft ball stage). Please be careful – the mixture is very hot! You may find it helpful to wear an oven mitt in case of random splashes. 5. Leave alone. Once the required temperature has been reached, remove the pan from the heat and leave it undisturbed to cool down to 110℃ / 230℉. This will only take a couple of minutes.6. Beat. Beat the mixture with the wooden spoon vigorously until it starts to be no longer shiny.7. Flavour the fudge. Add a pinch of salt, the ground cinnamon and mixed spice and beat well to combine. Add the mixed dried fruits and cranberries and mix again. 8. Pour into the prepared pan. Pour the hot flavoured fudge into the prepared brownie pan. Smooth the mixture into the corners. Set aside on a cooling rack.9. Make the white chocolate ganache. Pour the cream into a small pan. Set it over a low heat. Allow it to warm up, though not to boiling point. Remove from the heat and add the chopped white chocolate. Stir thoroughly until the chocolate has completely melted into the cream. The ganache will be shiny and smooth at this point. Set it aside for 5 or 10 minutes to cool.10. Top with ganache. Pour the ganache over the top of the fudge. Use the back of a teaspoon to ensure the fudge is completely coated in the ganache. Set aside for 30 minutes to firm up a little.11. Decorate with sprinkles. Use the holly sprinkles to decorate the top of the fudge. You may want to randomly top the fudge with the shapes, or perhaps aim to have one ‘holly’ sprig per portion. 12. Allow to firm up. Once the ganache and fudge has cooled to room temperature place the tin into the fridge for 1-2 hours to allow the ganache and fudge to completely firm up.13. Slice in cubes. Once fully cold and firm use the excess greaseproof paper as handles to remove the fudge from the tin. Use a sharp knife to slice the fudge into bite sized pieces.14. Enjoy!
Notes
a) Remember, this is incredibly hot!  Do stir the syrup carefully so as to avoid splashing yourself.  b)  Keep children, animals and other vulnerable people out of the way when making fudge.  c)  When heating the mixture and waiting for it to reach 116℃ / 241℉ it will feel as though the temperature is stuck around 104℃ / 220℉ for a long while, but have patience as eventually it will move and soon reach the desired temperature.  d)  Store the fudge in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 weeks.