Winter narcissus flowers

Winter narcissus flowers
Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas 2012!

Oh my goodness. It's been over a year since I posted anything and that must mean that I have been much too busy. This will be the last Christmas in this house with my most wonderful kitchen!

I've had a request for my wonderful famous fudge recipe. The secret is to use extremely good chocolate and dark brown sugar. Valrhona is one of the better ones. This is not a fat free or low calorie Christmas goodie, but a really rich, sweet fudge.  This recipe makes a big hunk of fudge and a small bite is all you really want. ..or need. I made this a few days ago and am now eating a bite here and there while I cut the slices of fudge to put in my Christmas goodie tins.

Today I'm planning on making Media Lunas, Argentinian chocolate filled croissants. I'll be sure to take pictures and post the process.

Sarah's Famous Brown Sugar Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

12 ounces bittersweet (not semi- or unsweetened) coarsely chopped
1  7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (not imitation)

2 cups packed Dark brown sugar (not light)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not fat free)
3/4 cup whipping cream
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

(optional)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

To make:

1) Line an 11x7 inch metal baking pan with either foil or parchment paper, overlapping the sides by a few inches.
2) Combine the first 3 listed ingredients (chocolates, marshmallow) in a heat proof bowl or large saucepan. Just dump them in.
3) In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the next 5 ingredients (sugar, milk, cream, butter and salt) over medium low heat until sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. (if you rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers it should be smooth, no granules. Scrape the sides of the pan as you are stirring with a heat proof spatula. Attach a clip on candy thermometer to pan and increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly but slowly with a wooden spatula (preferable flat edged on the bottom to keep the mix moving on the bottom of the pan) until thermometer reaches 230 degrees F, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4) immediately pour hot mixture over the chocolates and marshmallow and stir vigorously to melt chocolates. Just before completely mixed, add vanilla (and nuts, if desired, I prefer without nuts, but that's just me!) and continue stirring vigorously with wooden spoon until fudge thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Pour into prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. At this point, either sprinkle nuts or the chocolate chips onto top of the fudge, or both if you wish! and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.