Chocolate Fudge

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 450 g sugar
• 150 ml milk
• 100 g chocolate, chopped
• 150 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 50 g clear honey
• 3 -5 drops vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 butter or oil a pan about 7 inches square, this size isn't vastly important to the recipe but it will determine how thick and deep your fudge will be.
• 2 place the milk and sugar in a heavy, large (has to be able to contain 4 times the volume of the original ingredients to avoid boiling over) sauce pan and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved.
• 3 add chopped chocolate, chopped butter and honey and stir into the mixture until fully melted and blended together.
• 4 bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes (this helps wash down the sides of any stray sugar crystals).
• 5 uncover insert a prewarmed (tempered) sugar thermometer, boil until soft ball stage (116c/240f).
• 6 once soft ball stage has reached, plunge the base of the pan into an ice water bath until the tempeture has reached 50c/122°f.
• 7 if you wish to add any dried fruits or nuts to your fudge, do so at this point, otherwise just add the vanilla essence before beating.
• 8 beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick, creamy and lighter in colour.
• 9 pour mixture into prepared pan and leave until almost set.
• 10 mark out squares with an oiled knife and leave to set.
• 11 break up the pieces and store in an airtight container between layers of greaseproof paper or waxed paper.
• 12 should keep 3-4 weeks if stored properly.