Orange Fudge

Plain and simple I love fudge, but given the calories involved I make it once a year and give most of it away as gifts.

Earlier this year I discovered at Surfas an interesting product, orange oil. Not an extract or "flavoring" but oil obtained by squeezing oranges. Its called Boyajian Orange Oil and can be found HERE. The stuff has a warning label "use sparingly" and that I did, as one taste obtained from the tip of my finger was extremely orangey.

Rather than re-invent the wheel I opted to start with my favorite fudge recipe, "Stupid Easy Fudge" and added flavor from there. I've known for some time that citrus and chocolate play together well in ones mouth (ever have a chocolate dipped orange slice?) so the idea to make an Orange Fudge wasn't completely out of the blue, but had as basis in real world flavors. I used zest as well as the oil so I would have texture, visual clues and of course a true orange taste.

It worked really, really well in my not so humble opinion.

Orange Fudge

• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used a Valrhona 66% cacao)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• zest of one orange divided
• 1/4 t orange oil

Chop the bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate and add to mixing bowl. Add 1/2 of the orange zest and the orange oil. Add sweetened condensed milk. Heat in microwave 1 minute and stir, if not enough to melt all of the chocolate zap again in 30 second increments.

When smooth transfer to a plastic wrap (cling film?) lined dish. Smooth over and sprinkle remaining zest over the top of the fudge. Carefully pull the plastic wrap over the top of the fudge and lightly press to seal the orange zest into the fudge. Chill overnight before cutting.

Peppermint Layered Fudge

Woot...now that I have perfected stupid easy white fudge its time to start mixing it up and coming up with variations other than "vanilla" and into the realm of more adventurous. This layered fudge idea comes from the "Peppermint Bark" candy sold by Willam- Sonoma this time of year. Good stuff made better ala the fraz.

Of course it falls into the stupid easy category, I mean what good is fudge and candy making if you can't do it fast and easy? Though this has two steps, they are essentially the same you just need to allow time for the first layer to set before adding the second layer. Trust me on this, let the first layer set up in the fridge because trying to put the second layer on the first while it is still soft will yield a marbled mess rather than layered fudge.

Don't freak on the addition of the coffee extract to the 1st layer, coffee for reasons I'm not quite certain of will make chocolate taste even chocolatier!

The easiest way to crush the peppermint candies in the peppermint layer is to give them a whack with a meat mallet while they are still in their wrappers. It neatly contains the crushed candy and makes it easy to unwrap into the measuring cup. If you take it out of the wrapper you wind up with peppermint candy shrapnel all over you and the kitchen, not a good thing.

Peppermint Layered Fudge

1st layer

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 12 oz semi-sweet or dark (70%) chocolate - chopped
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t coffee extract
• 1/8 t sea salt

2nd layer

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 24 oz good quality white chocolate chips
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t peppermint extract
• 1/8 t sea salt
• 1/3 c crushed peppermint candies (about 15 starlight mints)

Line 13X9 inch pan with plastic wrap.

For the first layer pour chopped chocolate into microwave safe mixing bowl. Add extracts and salt, cover with sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, pour into prepared pan evening out to cover bottom of the pan. Chill in refrigerator at until set (about 2 hours).

For the second layer pour the white chocolate chips into microwave safe mixing bowl. Add extracts and salt, cover with sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, fold in chopped candies. Pour over first layer and even out until smooth. Chill at least 2 hours to set firmly.

This should be the last of the fudge recipes for this year. Who knows what next year will yield, in the mean time I have some 20 pounds of fudge to divvy out as gifts for the neighbors and use as hostess gifts this year!

The money shot...root beer float fudge!

Stupid Easy Fudge Take Two...
I found a bottle of root beer extract over a year ago at Surfas in Culver City. (They now are have split out the store from their mail order but the link will get you to the goodies I found). With that little purchase I set out to make a root beer float fudge and this is the final recipe that worked, completely. Where I failed in years past was to not have enough white chocolate chips in the mix for it to adequately set so it would hold its shape at room temperature instead of oozing and sticking all over the place.

The Holidays are my signal to set about making batches of fudge, not just ordinary fudge but different fun stuff. I found out that my friend Mike aka Cosmo loves peanut butter fudge. I found a recipe or two on online that I could modify to fit my "Stupid Easy" formulation, prep and results. That lead believe it or not to determining the key to making the Root Beer Float version that really rocks.

All of my recipes are done in a 1200 watt commercial grade microwave oven so please increase your time if you are using a smaller wattage unit in small increments of 15-30 seconds to get the same results.

Root Beer Float Fudge

• 24 ounces good white baking chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli brand)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 t root beer extract
• 1 t vanilla extract

Line an 8X8 inch pan with plastic wrap, allowing enough hanging over the sides to be able to fold it back over the fudge.

Pour chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Add extracts and toss lightly. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the chips. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, if the mixture starts to stiffen before completely mixed zap it in the microwave for another 15-30 seconds.

Pour the homogeneous mixture into the prepared pan, carefully folding the flaps over the top of the fudge. Chill in refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.

The peanut butter is equally easy, the recipe is a blend of a couple. The common thread in most I found was to use white baking chocolate bars rather than chips. I suspect those don't have emulsifiers like the chips and has a different hardener in place that better offsets the fatty peanut butter that is soft at room temp as it is. Regardless, I went with the majority and the results were really good. You can make it with or without nuts, I opted for without as the picky eaters in my house don't like nuts in fudge or cookies.

Peanut Butter Fudge

• 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 12 ounces white chocolate squares or white baking bars, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8X8 inch pan with plastic wrap, allowing enough hanging over the sides to be able to fold it back over the fudge.

Break up and coarsely chop the white baking chocolate. Add to microwave safe mixing bowl. Add peanut butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk over all of the white chocolate and peanut butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, if the mixture starts to stiffen before completely mixed zap it in the microwave for another 15-30 seconds.

Pour the homogeneous mixture into the prepared pan, carefully folding the flaps over the top of the fudge. Chill in refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.

Cherry Fudge (stupid easy of course)

Its the holidays.  I have an excuse to bake and cook like a fiend for the fam and friends and give it all away as gifts.  Baking and Candy making is my favorite part of the Holidays.  Of course Fudge tops the list of my candy making.

Last year the basic fudge got names "Stupid Easy Fudge" by my friend Ruth666.  Yup, it really is that easy.

Today,s version used 82% Valrhona and semi-sweet chips in a 50/50 blend.  Keeps the final product the right texture for cutting and of course, how it feels as it melts in your mouth. 

Cherry Fudge

8 oz Valrhona 82% Cocoa chocolate - coarse chop

8 ox semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c coarse chopped dried cherry

1 T Cherry Brandy

Line an 8X8 baking dish with foil or cling film.

In microwave safe dish put in the chopped valrhona.  Cover with semi-sweet chips.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top.  Microwave 1 minute.  Test - if center still cool to touch microwave 30 seconds and test again.  Do not boil.  When center is just warm, add cherry brandy and stir until smooth.  Fold dried cherry in to the mix.  Pour into prepared pan, cover and cool.  

Stupid Easy Fudge

I didn't name it, a friend of mine was lamenting that making fudge is a pain in the butt and she's not good with candy thermometers. Hah! I went through all that, even the so called easy with marshmallow creme is tedious and messy.

One day I was getting ready to make fudge and found I did not have the condensed milk the usual recipe I used called for. All I had was copious amounts of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed. A Quick google search and I found Eagle Brand's own recipe for fudge. It is even easier when you use a microwave instead of a double boiler. That's right a microwave and one bowl does it get easier? I doubt it.

Eagle brand has the sugar and milk already cooked and thickened so you save a few steps right there. The hardest part is a toss up. Getting your pan prepped or what flavors you want to add. Since I'm more of a cooker than a candy maker the flavors are my favorite bits.

I varied from their recipe and used fewer chips to make it more smooth and creamier at room temp. Their version is a bit harder than I like to have my fudge. Besides....Nestle' does 12 oz packages right out the gate so how easy is that.

The recipe:

Stupid Easy Fudge

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

1 t vanilla (the real deal not the imitation coal tar stuff)

Put chips in microwave safe mixing bowl. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chips. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Add vanilla and nuts if you are using at end of heating cycle and stir until smooth.

Pour into foil lined 8X8 baking dish. Chill at least 2 hours in fridge before cutting into bite sized pieces.

The other stir-ins are my favorite part. Each variation gets it's own name.

Raspberry: This is my favorite version. fold in 1/2c rough chopped dried raspberry's and 1 t raspberry extract into the smooth chocolate just before you pour into the prepared pan.

Sea Salt Espresso: Sprinkle 2t instant coffee or espresso over the chips before you pour on the Sweetened Condensed Milk. When done heating stir in 1T sea salt along with the vanilla. Chill as usual. Just before cutting and serving dust the surface of the fudge with 1t coarse sea salt and lightly pat onto the surface. Don't do this last step more than a day before serving as the salt will attract moisture, dissolve and get skanky slimy on top of the fudge.

Mint : stir in 1-2 t mint extract with the vanilla depending on how minty you want the fudge. When smooth add 1/4 c crushed starlight mints and gently fold in prior to pouring into the pan to chill.

Butterscotch: substitute butterscotch chips for the chocolate chips. I put in peanuts instead of the more typical walnuts or pecans for the nuts. The spanish kind add a nice texture and visual contrast.

Milk Chocolate: I haven't tried it but Rutz said she would, worth a try if you like lighter fudges.

Now since my pal Rutz has turned me on to Vosage Haut Chocolates I'm going to do my own version of fire...chile's, cinnamon. I also am going to do a bacon, liquid smoke version as well. If it works some will get it in gift boxes. If it doesn't well....it will make it to the landfill bin outside.

Enjoy the fudge....and if you know me you actually may get a goody bag this holiday season.