Creamy Chocolate Fudge

I'm a big fan of chocolate. Well, who are we kidding? I'm a big fan (big meaning large in like, not large in size, of course) of pretty much anything homemade, delicious, sweet, and calorie-packed. So am I interested in learning how to make fudge of the non-marshmallow-cream variety? Ohhhh yeah. I am. Again, this is one of my mom's famous and time-tested recipes (which originally came from Fine Cooking). I have to warn you, though: If you are not a patient person and do not have a lot of time to set aside for fudge, do not attempt this recipe! It isn't that difficult, but it is time consuming. It's definitely worth it, though! This fudge is almost truffle-like because it is so rich and creamy; if done properly it will not be grainy at all. It really does melt in your mouth. You can mix in a number of ingredients to suit your fancy: nuts, coconut, peppermint, etc. It will take them all. Also make sure you have a good candy thermometer. If, at the end, your fudge is shiny, you've done it right. Just for the record, mine was.

3 T Cold Unsalted Butter; more at room temperature for buttering pan and thermometer
3 3/4 C Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 C Heavy Cream
4 oz Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 T Light Corn Syrup
1 tsp table salt

1. Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

2. Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt in a large (4 qt) heavy-duty pot and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula (make sure it's heat proof--some spatulas will bubble because they cannot handle the heat) until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7-12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

3. Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236-238° F, 2-5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don't disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110° F, about 1-1.5 hrs.

4. Line the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan with foil, leaving a 2 in overhang. Butter the foil and set aside.

5. Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10-20 minutes. Pout the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot u=but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it's made but will firm up overnight.

6. Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: 25 pieces
Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty