Shirleys Fudge Recipes

EASY SOFT & CREAMY FUDGE RECIPE

Steps:

• Begin by lining a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Next break up chocolate bars into a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Set up electric mixer.
• Butter the sides of a large, lidded, heavy, pot. Pour cream and sugar into pot and stir together. Place over medium heat and stir constantly, just until it comes to a rolling boil. When it reaches this point, cover pot with lid for 1 minute and then remove the lid. Continue cooking to a soft ball stage, 230˚degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove pot from heat, add butter and vanilla. Let it sit in the hot candy mixture for 1 minute without stirring. Pour candy over broken chocolate bars in mixing bowl. Do not scrape the pan. Beat fudge until very smooth with beaters. Add stir-ins, nuts, peanut butter, or candies at this point. Pour into prepared pan, cover and refrigerate till set, preferably overnight.
• To cut, using the parchment paper, lift the slab of fudge to a cutting board. Cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter into even squares. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container.

TUNNEL-OF-FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Place a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone on a shelf in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees (see note).
• On a large baking sheet, roast nuts in the oven for 10 minutes. Keep watch that they do not burn. Pour into a bowl, and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss well and set aside.
• Generously butter the inside of a large 12-cup Bundt cake pan.
• In a mixer, beat butter to soften until it becomes fluffy. Add sugar, then the brown sugar and continue to beat until airy. While beating, if the bowl does not feel cool, place it in the freezer for five minutes, then resume beating.
• Beat in 3/4 teaspoon salt, vanilla and vegetable oil.
• Beat in two egg yolks. Crack the four whole eggs into a large mixing bowl. With a small knife, cut yolks and barely stir the eggs, minimally blending the whites and yolks.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, beat the eggs into the batter in three batches. Mix in confectioners' sugar and the cocoa.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir flour and nuts together. Then with a spatula stir the flour-nut mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes. You cannot use the toothpick test because the cake contains so much sugar that the center will not set but will remain a tunnel-of-fudge. You are dependent on a correct oven temperature and the 40-minute cooking time.
• When removed from the oven, the cake will have a runny fudge core with an air pocket above the fudge. About 30 minutes after taking the cake out of the oven, press the inside and outside edge of the cake bottom down all the way around to minimize the air pocket. Let the cake, still in the pan, cool on a rack for two to three hours. Invert the cake onto a platter and let cool completely.