SMOOTH AS SILK CARAMEL FUDGE

12. December 2010 by admin.

I love to experiment with recipes! Once I find a recipe that appeals to me, I usually “tweak” it to make it mine. Then, of course, until the first morsel touches my tastebuds, I am unsure if I have a successfully tasty “tweak” or if I need to “retweak.”

Exciting results hit my mouth when I tasted my  own creation of homemade chocolate caramels which really did not turn out to be caramels after all. Here is the story… After assembling the ingredients for a new recipe for Pecan Caramels, I was cooking the wonderfully warm and inviting sugar-cream-corn syrup mixture. I thought, “Oh, I’d love to make chocolate pecan caramels like mom used to make.” However, I did not have her recipe and could not remember how she had made them over 50 years ago. Wah-lah, I jumped on to the computer and googled a recipe for them. I discovered the type of chocolate I wanted to use and proceeded onward. Since my caramels were basically cooked before I had this idea, I just carried on by adding some chopped unsweetened chocolate and espresso. For me those 2 ingredients together just speak “INTENSE CHOCOLATE.” Of course, a cook must always taste her creation before serving! After pouring the candy into the pan, I licked the spoon. This remarkably smooth, chocolate fudge-like candy graced my mouth with utter pleasure. I thought, “Hmm, better let this cool and see what I have here.” Now, my family members are strict connoisseurs of both homemade caramels and awesome homemade chocolate fudge, so I was anxious to see if they would call this delightful creation a fudge or a caramel. Consensus is that it is a fudge with a hint of caramel flavor. The final “Hooray” came when I noticed everyone kept asking for more and more and more. This is just one of those comfort foods that keeps calling you back home!

Don’t be afraid to play with a recipe. The results may be even better than the original!

Smooth As Silk Caramel Fudge

2 tsp. plus 1 cup butter, divided

1-1/4 cups sugar

1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

 2 c. chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1/2 tsp. espresso powder

Line a 13-in.x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 2 tsp. butter and set aside.  Sprinkle the pecans on the bottom of the pan.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, cream, and the remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 245 degrees (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, espresso, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Keep plastic wrap over the pieces of candy so the edges will not dry out. ENJOY!!

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