Marthas Chocolate Fudge Recipes

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Butter an 8-by-8-inch straight-sided baking pan. Line with parchment paper; set aside. Butter a large, shallow, stainless-steel bowl; set aside.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk to combine the sugar, cocoa, and salt. Place over medium-low heat, and add corn syrup and milk, stirring until smooth. Add chocolate. Cook, stirring, until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolved before it reaches a boil. Brush down sides of saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystallization. Increase the heat to high, and cook until it reaches 236 degrees (soft-ball stage).
• Pour into prepared bowl without scraping the sides of the saucepan. Dot top with butter. Let cool to 110 degrees to 118 degrees on an instant-read thermometer without disturbing, about 1 hour. Add vanilla. Using a plastic dough scraper, transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed until the butter and vanilla are completely incorporated. Increase speed to medium, and beat, stopping occasionally, until fudge keeps its shape when dropped from a spoon and sheen is gone, 3 to 8 minutes. Using a clean plastic dough scraper, transfer to prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Before fudge sets completely, score with a knife into 1-inch squares. Let stand until completely cooled.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE PRESENTS

Steps:

• Butter an 8-by-8-by-2-inch pan. Sift cocoa powder and sugar into a medium bowl.
• Prepare an ice bath. In a small saucepan, combine milk and cocoa-powder mixture with a wooden spoon until a sandy, pastelike texture forms. Add chocolate, butter, and corn syrup. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar has completely dissolved, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, wash down sides of pan with cold water. Increase heat to medium. When a candy thermometer registers 236 degrees remove the pan from heat, and place in ice bath for 5 seconds. Transfer pan to a heat-proof surface, and let sit until thermometer registers 121 degrees, about 45 minutes.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir fudge briskly until it begins to lose its sheen, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Spread fudge into prepared pan with wooden spoon. Using your fingers, smooth fudge. Cover with plastic; chill 30 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares.

MARTHA'S CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• You will need a candy thermometer. Make your fudge on a dry day. Too much humidity will keep the fudge from setting up properly.
• Butter an 8-by-8-by-2-inch pan and place it in the fridge. Alternately, use a loaf pan if you want really thick pieces.
• Sift cocoa powder and sugar into a medium bowl.
• Prepare an ice bath. I use my sink, filling it with approximately 2" of water, then adding a bunch of ice.
• In a small saucepan, combine milk and cocoa-powder mixture with a wooden spoon until a sandy, paste like texture forms.
• Add chocolate, butter, and corn syrup.
• Cook on med-low heat (don't let it boil yet), stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved completely (very important), 7 to 10 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, wash down any sugar crystals that form along the sides of pan.
• Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip of the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan.
• Increase heat a bit until the fudge starts to boil. When the fudge begins to boil, stop stirring and don't stir AT ALL for the rest of the cooking time or the fudge will be grainy.
• Keep the syrup boiling, being careful that it doesn't boil over.
• When the candy thermometer registers 236°, remove the pan from heat, and place in ice bath for 5 seconds.
• Transfer pan to a heat-proof surface, and let sit until thermometer registers 110°, about 45 minutes.
• Add vanilla, and using a wooden spoon (or electric hand mixer), stir fudge briskly until it thickens and begins to lose its sheen, 2 to 3 minutes (it may take a little longer to set up. Depending on the humidity in the air, it could take as much as 10 minutes).
• Stir in walnuts, if desired.
• Spread fudge into prepared pan with wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 30-60 minutes. Cut into 1-inch squares.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE 101

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan; line with parchment paper, allowing a 1-inch overhang. Butter parchment paper, and set aside. Check the calibration of the candy thermometer. Put butter into a large bowl, and set over a wire rack; set aside. Put cream, sugar, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt into a medium heavy saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved and chocolate has melted, about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium. Bring mixture to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Attach warm thermometer to pan; continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees (soft-ball stage), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Immediately pour mixture into bowl with butter (do not scrape out the bottom of the pan). Attach thermometer to bowl. Let mixture cool, undisturbed, until it registers 110 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove thermometer. Transfer bowl to a work surface. Using a wooden spoon, begin to gently stir mixture.
• Continue to stir, gradually increasing speed until mixture thickens, lightens in color, and loses its sheen, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour into prepared pan. Using a small offset spatula, quickly spread fudge to sides of pan, and smooth top. Let fudge cool in pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate until completely set, about 8 hours. Run a sharp knife around nonparchment sides to loosen; lift fudge out. Cut into 64 one-inch pieces. Fudge can be refrigerated between layers of parchment in an airtight container up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before serving.

QUICK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Steps:

• Brush a 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter, and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Brush parchment with butter.
• Heat 1/2 cup condensed milk, 4 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in peanut butter and 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Press peanut butter mixture into the bottom of prepared baking dish, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring, until melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 3/4 cup condensed milk and a pinch of salt, until melted and combined. Mix in remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Spread chocolate mixture over peanut butter layer, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Remove fudge from pan using parchment to lift, and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off parchment. Using a warm knife, cut crosswise into eight 1-inch-wide strips; cut each strip into 8 pieces.

MARSHMALLOW FUDGE

Steps:

• Lightly brush an 8-inch baking pan with butter, then line with parchment, leaving 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly butter parchment.
• In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, then cook for 3 minutes more, until pale golden and thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows until mostly melted, then add chocolate and vanilla. Stir until chocolate and marshmallows have melted completely and mixture is smooth. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula.
• Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Remove parchment with fudge from pan and cut into 36 squares. Fudge can be stored refrigerated, covered with plastic, up to 1 week.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Steps:

• Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan. Set aside.
• Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan. Stir to blend, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer. Do not stir again.
• Place candy thermometer in pan and cook until temperature reaches 238 degrees F(114 degrees C). If you are not using a thermometer, then cook until a drop of this mixture in a cup of cold water forms a soft ball. Feel the ball with your fingers to make sure it is the right consistency. It should flatten when pressed between your fingers.
• Remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and vanilla extract. Beat with a wooden spoon until the fudge loses its sheen. Do not under beat.
• Pour into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into about 60 squares.

FUDGY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dish. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FILLING

Steps:

• Place chocolate chips, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat evaporated milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate mixture; let stand until chocolate melts, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, whisk until filling is smooth and well combined.
• Transfer chocolate filling to refrigerator; let chill until slightly firm, but still spreadable, about 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT FUDGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 14 minutes.
• Lightly brush a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter; line in both directions with parchment. Melt 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate in a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Brush loaf pan all over with half of melted chocolate; freeze 5 minutes. Brush again with remaining melted chocolate and freeze 5 minutes more.
• In a medium bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt remaining 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate with milk chocolate, stirring together until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in hazelnut spread and hazelnuts. Pour into chilled chocolate shell and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Trim chocolate around top of loaf pan with a paring knife. Let temper 30 minutes before slicing crosswise into 8 pieces. Torrone can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 weeks.

FOOLPROOF HOLIDAY FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with two sheets of waxed or parchment paper in a crisscross manner (one lengthwise, one crosswise) so ends overhang sides of pan; coat evenly with cooking spray.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, cook sugar, salt, butter, cream, and marshmallows, stirring, until butter and marshmallows are almostmelted, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Bring mixture to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally,5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chips and vanilla; stir until chips are melted. Pour mixture into lined pan.
• Let fudge cool in the pan at room temperature,3 hours. Use edges of paper to lift out fudge; place on cutting board, and remove paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, or cut fudge into bars. Sprinkle evenly with crushed candy.