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Burnt Sugar Fudge

Source of Recipe

From "The Ultimate Candy Book" by Bruce Weinstein


Recipe Introduction

"This fudge is not a chocolate confection. It has a fudgy texture, but gets its distinctive flavor from the caramelized sugar—an unexpected yet delicious variation. Be careful caramelizing the sugar. It is very hot and can cause severe burns."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 cups sugar
â—¦ â…” cup cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon butter plus additional for greasing the pan
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Recipe

Line a 10-inch square pan with wax paper, overlapping the edges at least 2 inches. Butter the paper and set the pan aside.

Place ¾ cup sugar in a tall-sided heavy saucepan. Height is important because adding the cream later will cause the syrup to boil high in the pan, and you don't want the syrup to boil over. Place the pan over medium heat and stir constantly with a large wooden spoon until the sugar melts and turns amber. Stirring constantly, add the remaining sugar and the cream to the pan. The mixture will instantly boil high in the pan. Continue stirring to keep it from boiling over. The already "burnt" sugar may also seize into a hard lump on the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is homogenous.

Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until it reaches 240° F (soft ball). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool undisturbed until the thermometer reads 110° F.

Add the butter and vanilla all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture loses its gloss and thickens to the consistency of cake icing. Using a buttered spatula, spread the mixture into the prepared pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours.

Grab the edges of the wax paper and pull the candy out of the pan. Using a sharp knife, cut the fudge into bite-sized pieces. Store them in layers, separated by wax paper, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes about 1 ¼ pounds