There’s something truly special about gifting handmade treats during the Christmas season. For the food enthusiasts in your family, a delicious and effortless sweet treat is the perfect present.
Homemade fudge is a decadent and scrumptious delight that can be easily made at home. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has devised his very own “simple to make” recipe that can be ready in just half an hour.
The dad of five said: “Creamy fudge always takes me back to my childhood – I would always seek out the fudge in a box of chocolates, and on holiday by the British seaside we would buy packets of local fudge instead of sickly-sweet rock.
“Crumbly and caramel-like in flavour, fudge is a wonderful sweet treat and, with a little practice, it’s simple to make too.”
Jamie explains that fudge typically consists of three primary ingredients – milk, butter, and sugar – often accompanied by flavourings like vanilla.
In his recipe, he incorporates both vanilla pod seeds and sea salt, reports Devon Live.
The chef added: “You can also find variations made with clotted cream, condensed milk, or even marshmallows.”
To make Jamie’s perfect handmade Christmas gift, you’ll need:
Ingredients:
One 397g can condensed milk
80g unsalted butter
150g soft, light brown sugar
One whole vanilla pod
A good pinch of sea salt
To decorate/flavour
Freeze-dried strawberries
Crushed honeycomb
Edible bronze sugar pieces or other sugar-coated sprinkles
Talking about salt content, Jamie said: “When it comes to salting your fudge, use only the best sea salt you can find. I like to use a Slovenian salt called Piranske Soline, derived from the Adriatic Sea.”
Method:
Line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Place a glass of ice-cold water nearby, which you will use later to test the fudge.
In a large, non-stick, wide-bottomed pan, add the condensed milk, butter and soft brown sugar.
Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways, and use the tip of a knife to scrape out the seeds. Add the vanilla seeds to the mixture.
Melt these ingredients over a medium heat, using a wooden spoon to stir until the sugar has dissolved. Make sure the sugar doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
Next, carefully bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Take care because the mixture will be extremely hot. Stir it constantly for around ten minutes.
Test the fudge by dropping a small amount of the mixture into the cold water. You are looking for the fudge to drop to the bottom of the glass and form a round tear shape or ball.
This is called the soft ball stage. If you have a thermometer, the mixture should have reached 113ºC (236ºF).
Take the pan off the heat, add a good pinch of sea salt (about half a teaspoon) and leave it to cool for a few minutes.
Then, using the wooden spoon again, stir the mixture vigorously until it begins to firm up a little – for about five to eight minutes.
Very carefully, pour the mixture into your lined tin and smooth out with the back of a metal spoon. Sprinkle over your chosen toppings and push them down into the fudge slightly.
Leave the fudge to cool at room temperature for a couple of hours, and then chop into pieces using a sharp knife.
Once your fudge has cooled and you’ve chopped it into pieces, eat a bit, and then bag it up to give as a gift.
The fudge lasts two-three weeks, so it’s best made close to gifting. It doesn’t need refrigeration, but can be kept in the fridge if made in advance.
