every christmas i like to try making a new 'treat' to go with the christmas goodies i cook up. this year i tried maple fudge - oh... my... goodness!! this recipe was/is fantastic. i read a bunch of comments about some people having great success - others, total failure - so i was a little nervous about this one. it turned out great and for the record, i have never used a candy thermometer before making this fudge (i actually had to buy one - thanks amazon!).
**oh - one of the comments i read about doing candy and having to hit certain temps/boiling points is that elevation effects stuff like that - so i'm not sure if calgary's elevation would have any effect on that?!?
another thing... it says the fudge has to hit 240F... i found that both times when i made this that it got to 225F quite quickly and then just seemed to sit there forever, then slowly climb to 240F. don't go 'cranking up the heat' - leave your element at medium!
Preparation 10 MIN Cooking 10 MIN Cooling 1 H 30 MIN
1 cup heavy cream (35%)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 oz (28g) white chocolate, chopped
¼ tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
o Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over two sides. Butter the other two sides.
o Set you element to medium. In a heavy saucepan, bring all the ingredients except for the chocolate and vanilla to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Let simmer without stirring until a candy thermometer placed into the center of the pan reads 240°F (115°C). Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla without stirring.
o Place the pan in a water bath. Let cool without stirring for 20 to 30 minutes or until the thermometer reads 110°F (43°C).
o Remove the pan from the water. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture for about 2 minutes or until it is thick and loses its gloss.
o Immediately pour into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Unmould and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) squares.
o Store in an airtight container. The fudge squares can be made in advance and freeze very well.