kill the yeast and destroy the candy

There are different kinds of fudge. The type that uses marshmallow cream is bulletproof. Give this a try: MAMIE EISENHOWER'S FUDGE RECIPE

12 OZ. SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE BITS 12 OZ. GERMAN SWEET CHOCOLATE, BROKEN INTO PCS. ONE PINT MARSHMALLOW CREAM TWO CUPS CHOPPED WALNUTS ONE CAN (13 - OZ.)EVAPORATED MILK FOUR AND ONE-HALF CUPS SUGAR TWO TABLESPOONS BUTTER PINCH OF SALT

In a large bowl, combine chocolate bits, Sweet Chocolate, Marshmallow Cream and chopped Nuts. Reserve. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, butter and salt. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly.Cook, stirring continuously, for six t0 seven minutes. Pour the boiling milk and sugar mixture over the reserved chocolate-nut mixture, and beat until the chocolate is melted and the fudge is creamy. Pour fudge mixture into buttered 9 X 9 inch pan, and let cool at room temperature for a few hours or overnight, before cutting into squares. Store in tin box or other airtight container. Makes about (5) pounds of fudge. Enjoy!!

The sad truth about candy making is that following the directions to the letter does not guarantee success if you don't know what you're doing.

It's not just about temperature, no matter how many people on TV say it is. you have to know what you're looking at.

If you're gonna ruin the fudge anyway, you may as well set out to experiment. Some time around when it reaches temperature, you should notice a change in the color and texture of the mixture. it's probably at this point when you should start trying to whip air into it.

- Eric

Yes, it's bulletproof, but I don't think you should be allowed to call it "fudge", since that is a particular culinary term, and the stuff that recipe makes doesn't do it -- it just cools off and gets solid.

Isaac

Isaac Wingfield wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@netnews.attbi.com:

Can we still call it candy?

Air?

Never heard that one.

I guess I should give it a try.

Fred

Here is the definition of "fudge" in the Epicurious food dictionary. I understand that fudge is traditionally a type of fondant but the definition wouldn't preclude what I posted being called fudge. "A creamy, semisoft candy most often made with sugar, butter or cream, corn syrup and various flavorings. The most popular fudge flavor is chocolate, though maple (made with maple syrup), butterscotch (made with brown sugar or dark corn syrup) and vanilla are also favorites. Fudge can be plain and perfectly smooth or it may contain other ingredients such as nuts, chocolate chips, candied or dried fruit, etc. It may be cooked or uncooked, but both styles must be allowed to set before cutting."

Actually, you can call it fudge.

Tradtional fudge is beaten. You cook it till it reaches 236F, remove it from the heat and let it cool to 113F without stirring. Then, you beat it vigorously for about 10 minutes.

I think the complaint was something along the lines of, hey, this person wanted to know how to make fudge, not how to get away with not knowing how to make fudge.

- Eric

But, if you look at the definition, what I posted was fudge. The OP never posted his recipe, so technically if you have a very strict definition of fudge, you don't even know if his confection meets your standard. By the way, what is the "particular culinary term" that you referenced?

OK, lets put it this way.

The original poster seemed to be having difficulty producing a confection by way of causing a state change in the primary ingredients through controlled application of heat.

Advising the poster to try producing a different confection which does not require a state change in the ingredients the symptoms but is perpendicular to the problem.

Personally, I have a younger brother who dearly loves *attempting said sorts of state changes, but has never mastered it, because he has never taken the time to visually observe them, and just follows the directions to gooey lumps of nastiness, except when he makes little rocks. So it's a subject of some importance to me. Perhaps Jeremy (who wants to be a chef, is currently working his way up from the dishwasher at TGI Fridays) would be more successful in these marshmallow confections, but it wouldn't solve the problem, just the symptom.

- Eric

AHHHH this, my dear might be the cause. My directions that I've used all said to let cool then add 1 tsp of vanilla and beat vigorously. None of them said to let it stand "untouched" until 113 degrees then beat for 10 minutes.

Thanks, Fred

thermometer

The instruction that I have say to heat to 236F (heavy pan, stir to dissolve, wash sides with wet brush to dissolve crystals, etc.). Immediately remove from heat, leaving the thermometer in place (about 18 minute). Place vanilla on surface DO NOT STIR OR MOVE PAN until the temperature registers 110F. Beat for about 10 minutes with wooden spoon until it loses some of its gloss, turns lighter, and thickens. Turn out into prepared pan and press lightly with spoon to level surface (Do not scrape the pot)\\

If you are interested in candy making, I would highly recommend "The Complete Wilton Book of Candy." It is out of print, but available inexpensively used:

I find great success with scraping the pot with a spoon while sitting in front of the TV after putting the rest of the batch in a cake pan to cool--now that I no longer have to fight my mother for the privilege!

PAX! Greg

Just give her a good whack with the pot and it'll be yours!

Of course; why not?

Oh, and as to whether something "is" or "is not" fudge (my definition): If damp or rainy weather doesn't cause it to "not fudge", then it isn't.

Isaac

You can't get more precise than that!

"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message news:...

Hello all,

I am not a candy specialist but I will try to look at your problem from my basic understanding about sugar confectionery. You cannot find much in the web about the chemistry of candy? The chemical reaction of candy is not that complicated either if compared to flour chemistry and baking. In candy it has something to do about the proper ratio of reducing sugar solids( due to added acids to inverts sucrose to glucose and fructose, as well as the addition of doctor sugars such as glucose syrup and invert syrups.The proper graining of the cooked sugar mixtures. Another critical factor is the appropriate ratio of the ingredients and the proper cooking temperature and well as the proper temperature before other ingredients are added to the cooked sugar mixture. You have to go to the library and find the books that focus on it. From my old notebook the list of the books that you really have to read are: Lees and Jackson- Sugar confectionery and Chocolate manufacture Jackson- Sugar confectionery recipes and methods Jackson-Sugar Confectionery Manufacture These books I mentioned are the standard textbooks used by students specializing in commercial and Institutional candy making. These books are even the standard reference books for candy manufacturers. All of them are published in UK. Now regarding your question about fudge from what I remember and understand about it. The name fudge covers a wide range of products which are basically toffee formulations in which sugar crystals have been developed during the processing. Just like any candies they are not immune to spoilage. In particular fudge must be firm and have uniform texture. Looking at the point of sugar chemistry in candy manufacture the problems that arises in confectionery items in particular to fudge one major defect is caused by uneven cooling that can result in difficulty in handling.The cooling rate should be low so that the sugar crystals tend to develop uniformly in the product. Fudge can either be cut or extruded if made institutionally.

Your problem says that its stringy and sticky it means that your sugar was not cooked well. Are your thermometer displaying the right temperature? Was that instrument calibrated?Are you immersing the bulb of the thermometer in the cooking mixture to display the right temperature? Is your place above or below sea level as it can affect the boiling effeciency. Did you boil your syrup slowly that the sucrose( or the main sugar was largely inverted by the slightly acidic environment of the candy recipe). Now if the ratio of the reducing sugar in relation to the base sugar is higher then it will not set properly) and will be hygroscopic and sticky. Or maybe you put too much water in your recipe? There are many reason that can go wrong in sugar and candy cookery and you must consider all of them if you want to sort out your problem.

One basic recipe for fudge is just like this as done institutionally:

Place these ingredients in a warmed steam kettle:

80 parts white granulated sugar 18 parts glucose syrup s 22 parts full cream sweetened condensed milk 8 parts hydrogenated palm kernel oil( HPKO) 2 parts butter 5-10 parts water ( just enough to dissolve the hard grained sugars) Stir well and rapidly to achieve a smooth premix(5-10 minutes). Then heat with steam and cook to 115 degrees C. Turn of the steam and allow the batch to cool down to 93 degrees C with slow stirring Add 20 parts of fondant made from 80 parts sugar and glucose syrup cooked with 40 parts water cooked to118-120 degrees C . You can add salt and flavor to suit your taste.. Stir until homogenous and immediately turn out on a greased and warmed cooling tables. Cool and cut with suitable cutter. The result should be firm medium grained texture but sufficiently plastic fudge. Roy

I have never made "real" fudge fudge successfully, but have been wanting to. Perhaps someone can give me an answer regarding a pot to cook it in.

I've heard that one has to lower the pan into cold (or cool) water after it has reached the stage one is aiming for. (My grandmother did this, too) I have asked about putting pans from high heat into cool/cold water and all I hear is that "well,if you want to damage your pans, go ahead." I was in a store where they had a caphalon hard-anodized pan without the non-stick and it was 4.5 qt. size, just right, I thought. The clerk actually talked me out of it, saying that I should try to find something else that I wouldn't mind ruining. I haven't found anything to use, but my thought is that perhaps I could use the bottom part of a regular Presto pressure cooker.

Thanks for any comments. Dee

thermometer