Monday, November 19, 2012

Rocky Road Fudge Recipe and Picture

Every year around this time, I begin baking in earnest.

 I find some recipes that I have enjoyed and try them out once before I bake them to send away.  Needless to say, I enjoy baking.  I'm a competent cook but an excellent baker.

Making fudge was one of those things that my parents would never try.   I found it to be so easy that I wouldn't hesitate trying it with a child or a person who doesn't know the first thing about cooking.

Chocolate will melt at 86F.  If you get it too hot, it won't melt faster, it will scorch.   So the best way to melt chocolate is in a water bath called a Bain Marie.  Fancy name for a real simple process.

First get a sauce pan and add water.   I would say fill it 1/3 to 1/2 with water.   Bring that water to a boil. 

Place on top of the sauce pan an bowl that will withstand the heat.  The size of the bowl should be large enough that it will fit on top of the sauce pan but not fall in.   The water in the sauce pan should not touch the bottom of the bowl so that it is floating on top.  The steam from the water will do the work for you, remember you want a gentle heat.

Simple right?

Now the fudge recipe.

Ingredients:

18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanuts, pecans, or other unsalted nuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Assembly:

Prepare an 8 inch square Baking Pan by lining it with Aluminium foil.

The foil should line the bottom and the sides and will be draped over the top to anchor it when you pour the fudge in to set.

Grease the foil with unsalted butter.

Mix the Chocolate, Baking Soda, and Salt together to coat everything.
Add the Nuts to the Chocolate and mix evenly.
Place the Nuts and Chocolate mixture in the Bain Marie.
Add Vanilla Extract and Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Stir the mixture with the spatula until smooth and the Chocolate Mixture has melted.
Add the Mini Marshmallows and stir briefly until evenly mixed.

Pour the fudge into the lined baking dish.
Smooth the fudge out evenly and place the baking dish in the refrigerator to cool until firm.

Enjoy.  The recipe turned out perfectly when I made it this weekend.

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