ISO Very Soft Fudge

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I want to use fudge as the bottome layer of a fudge/cheesecake/raspberry desert I'm going to enter into a local competition next weekend. A recipe posted by Crewsk was the inspiration for this recipe. It will have a graham cracker crust with a bottom layer of soft fudge, followed by a layer of New York style cheescake, with a strawberry glaze accross the top, and melted chocolate drizzled in threads accross the top, and finally, whipped cream crowning the outside edge. I'm not sure what I'll call it, but that's not the problem.

I'm looking for a fudge confection that's silky smooth, and soft enough to easily cut, and bite into, and that won't overpower the cheesecake, but accent it. I expect that it will be about 1/4 inch thick and topped with an inch of cheesecake filling.

I'm thinking that the addition of butter (as cocoa butter isn't available) would help soften the mix, or maybe some cooking oil, or even whipped cream folded in before the fudge cools.

I think I'll have to make the fudge and cheescake seperately, and then stack them. That's so both will be cooked enough to hold their shapes, with the layers remaining seperate.

Also, I'm wondering if I should try to bake the cheesecake without a crust, maybe in some parchment paper. But I think I'll give it a thin graham cracker crust, at least a bottom crust so that I can transfer it more easily from the pan onto the fudge.

I sure wish Audio were still around. But there has to be another master pastry chef around here. Any help would be appreciated.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[marmalady]

Hmmm - I'll help, but only if you invite me over when you're done!


For the fudge, why not just use a simple thick ganache? You could either whip it for more fluffiness, or just pour it in the pan and let it solidify.

Yes, I'd definitely bake the cheesecake separately, but I'd go w/out a crust, as you want the layers to stick together a little, and even a thin crumb crust is going to prevent that. Or - thought about using one of the 'no-bake' cheesecakes?

PS - I miss Audeo, too!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I was going to drizzle ganache over the top anyway, so whiy not use it for the base. That sounds very good. The recipe I know alters the amount of cream to the amount of chocolate to achieve varrying degrees of hardness. The less cream, the more firm the ganache. The basic recipe is

1 tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream
1-1/2 cups wemi-sweet chocolate

or
1 tbs. unsweetened butter
3/4 cup cream
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate

or
1 tbs. butter
1 cup cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate.

I'm thinking that if I used the middle recipe, and whipped the cream into the melted chocolate, versus pouring the hot cream over the cold chocolate, I would get more of a truffle-like result. Whatcha think?

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[KAYLINDA]

Don't know if you had thought about a white fudge....but here's a recipe that sets up soft...

WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE



IN SAUCEPAN MIX TOGETHER:



2 CUPS SUGAR

1 CUP SOUR CREAM

1 STICK MARGARINE



BRING TO FULL BOIL AND BOIL FOR 7 MINUTES OVER MEDIUM HEAT.



REMOVE FROM HEAT.



STIR IN 12 OUNCES WHITE CHOCOLATE

7 OUNCES MARSHMALLOW CREME

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

AND NUTS IF WANTED.

 

[marmalady]

You don't even have to whip the cream into the chocolate. Just make the ganache like you normally would, let it set up well in the fridge, then hit it with the mixer to 'whip' it up. Yep, it is more 'truffle' like that way!

You might want to think about using bittersweet (same quantities) instead of semi, for a more intense chocolate flavor.

Go for it!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Kaylinda; This sounds extremely good, but wouldn't give me the dramatic color differences I'm looking for.

And Marmalady; I tried an experimental fudge/ganache hybrid tonight, using cheap chocolate chips. It has a tremendous flavor. I was looking for that intense, yet rich, high quality flavor that you get from high end chocolate, with a silky smoot texture. I got it. Now I just hope it has enough body to hold up at room temps. I'll know tomorrow and adjust the recipe as needed.

Here's how I made it.

Heat 1/4 cup milk to a low boil. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips (store brand), and 2/3 cup sugar. Stir over low heat until all is melted and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 4 tbs. unsweetened butter, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tbs. Ghiradelli cocal powder. Stir until all lumps are gone (when I make this for the actual competition, I will use heavy cream, blended with the Ghiradelli cocoa in the blender to insure smooth, lump-free consistancy). Continue cooking at a very low boil, constantly stirring, for two more minutes to evaporate some moisture. Let cool.

I tested by dripping molten chocolate onto waxed paper laid on a cold surface and let cool to room temp. It was still a bit too soft for what I need, but the flavor was extraordinary, and the texture was absolutely silky smooth. You want a great hot fudge sauce, well this may just be your recipe. I think I will have to add either more butter, more sugar, or both to firm it up. Then again, I may just need to use a candy thermometer and let heat do the work for me.

I've got the flavor down, now just need the right firmness.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Haggis]

You might want to look into the inclusion of egg yolks in the fudge layer. Yolks always help to make chocolate confections very very smooth (think pots de creme, but you probably don't want it that rich :P).

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Well, after a night in the fridge, the texture is firm enough to stand up to the weight of the cheesecake. But it is so much like a soft caramel. I'm just not sure if that's the texture I'm looking for. But I have to keep inconsideration that my wife doesn't like dark chocolate. She likes her chocolate very sweet, and so that's the texture I'll probably be stuck with. She commented on it already, saying she would be disappointed that if I didn't add the sugar, she wouldn't be able to try it at the picknic.

I sometimes wish that she would understand that everything isn't made according to her desires, that there will be plenty of other deserts there that she would like.

But I married her, and won't let a food contest get in the way of anything. She's more important, hence my tag-line at the bottom of all my posts. Besides, the judges may just enjoy the textural differences between the cheescake, the fudge, the crunch of the graham cracker crust, and the gelled strawberry sauce on top. We will just have to see.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[PA Baker]

Goodweed, the only fudge I really like is Mackinac Island fudge because of its softer consistancy. Is that the type of texture your looking for? If so, here's a recipe for that style of fudge. It's not TNT in my house but it will be soon! I'm wondering if you skip the freezing step, or really reduce the amount of time, it might be the solidity you're looking for for your recipe.

Mackinac Island Fudge

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Mix milk, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt in heavy pan. Cook at medium heat until boiling. Boil exactly 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar. Beat with mixer until smooth and thick. Add nuts, if desired. Pour into a buttered pan and freeze 20 minutes. Cut into pieces.

Makes approximately 1 pound of fudge.

Peanut Butter Mackinac Island Fudge
Reduce butter to 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup peanut butter.

Chocolate Mackinac Island Fudge
Use basic recipe, adding 1/2 cup cocoa with the confectioners’ sugar.

 

[crewsk]

Goodweed, I have nothing to add about the fudge, sorry it's not an area I'm good in. I just wanted to say good luck & that I'm honored you are playing with my recipe! It sounds like it will be wonderful!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thanks everyone, and I'll letcha know how it goes. The next day, I have a bread and chilli cookoff & corn roast at my church that I'll be participating in, then on Sept. 13th, I'll be entering the United Way chili Cookoff as well. I'm gonna be a busy and broke man for a couple of weeks. But I'm gonna have fun.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Haggis]

Thanks for those fudge recipes PA Baker, they look great.

 

[Audeo]

Greetings, old friend, and thank you and Marmalady for the kind thoughts.

Marmalady took the recommendations I would have right out of my mouth. I would suggest a softer 2-to-1 ganache (i.e., 1 part chocolate -- and I would go with a semi-sweet -- to 2 parts heavy cream brought to the boiling point and poured over the chocolate. Wait a couple of minutes, then begin to slowly fold the cream into the chocolate and keep up the folding until completely blended. Then I would pop the mixture into the fridge overnight and whip the dickens out of it with my mixer the next day before layering over the graham cracker crust. Chill that first, then add the cheesecake mix.
Best of all good fortune on the 13th. And my very best regards to your wife. Your endeavors could only bring a huge smile to her face!

 

[marmalady]

Hi! Are you back? We've missed you sooooo much!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Audeo; You said that you would drop in occasionally. Good to hear from you. It's the begining of a work day and you've brought a smile to my face.

I will follow the advice. It sounds like what I'm looking for. Thanks all.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North