Wednesday, 30 November 2022

Sweet treat

    1. Life & Style
    2. Food & Wine
    3. Food & Wine

    Angela Redfern from Auckland’s popular Ripe Deli shares this addictive white chocolate fudge recipe from her head baker Jo Singer. Ideal for gifting to friends and family.

    PHOTO: SOPHIE MERKENS
    PHOTO: SOPHIE MERKENS

    MAKES 40+ PIECES
    EF, GF, NF, VEGETARIAN

    2 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
    3 cups (480g) soft brown sugar
    250g salted butter, diced
    100g glucose syrup
    80g golden syrup
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    400g good-quality white chocolate*, at room temperature and finely chopped/grated so it melts quickly
    A pinch of salt

    Method

    Line a 30cm x 20cm or similar-sized deep-sided rectangular dish with baking paper.

    To make the fudge: in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, glucose and golden syrup over a medium-low heat. Stir continuously using a heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves and the butter has melted.

    Increase the heat and bring to a simmer. As soon as you see the first bubbles form, start a timer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. If it starts to catch, reduce the heat a little.

    After 10 minutes the mixture should start to form big slow bubbles (like a mud pool). Now it’s time to start checking if it’s ready. You can do this by either using a sugar thermometer to check that the temperature has reached around 115degC, or if you don’t have a sugar thermometer, you can use the soft ball method to check if it’s ready.

    You can do this by having a small bowl of cold water beside you. Once the mixture has boiled for 10 minutes, drop a little bit of the mixture into the water.

    If it forms a thread as it sinks in the water then it needs a little longer.

    Keep testing it every minute or so as it changes quickly. If it sets and forms a ball that you can squish between your fingers, then it’s ready.

    Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate, vanilla and salt.

    Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture vigorously for about three minutes until the chocolate has melted and is well incorporated and the mixture has thickened.

    Then quickly pour the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it into the corners so it is smooth and flat.

    Cool for a few minutes then score the top into bite-sized pieces.

    Set aside to cool at room temperature for at least a couple of hours. Once the fudge is completely set, slice and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
     
    TIP
     
    We use Whittaker’s white chocolate as it has a high cocoa butter content. Glucose syrup helps to stop the fudge from crystallising and makes it smooth and creamy.
     
    If you want to add a little festivity to your fudge you can add some dried fruits and nuts. Just quickly fold them through right at the end before you pour it into the tray.

     

    THE BOOK 

    This is an extract from: Ripe Recipes: Thought for Food by Angela Redfern & the Ripe Deli team, photography by Sophie Merkens. RRP $60, beatnikpublishing.com