Fudge, Glorious Fudge

Introduction

I’ve never ‘ lurved’ the more traditional fudge.

I’ve always found it too sweet and have not been crazy about the grainy texture. The glorious addition of chocolate was a revelation!

I worked with the wonderful Carol Brough at @Baker&Spice in London many moons ago. She had received all her training in Patisserie @Claridges and came with a full bag of tricks and incredible recipes. Adding the chocolate to the fudge, transforms the texture and flavor completely, throwing in flavors can be all sorts of fun…think rum soaked raisins, pistachios, dried figs, sour cherry and almond slivers…..any number of options and variations, you are limited but by your mind!

The chocolate can be interchanged depending on your taste. We’ve also made a delightful, coffee, walnut and vanilla fudge- adding espresso powder to the cooking sugar syrup, allowing the flavours to develop beautifully. I’ve gone into detail here regarding the laymans method to tempering, it is worth it and does make a beautiful difference to the finished product.

As for most confectionary …..the sugar thermometer is your friend to make it all much easier, so well worth adding to your collection.

Ingredients

  • 600g broccoli
  • 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes – sliced ( the redder the better) or semi dried tomatoes ( Ina Paarmans are delicious)
  • 2 Tbls lovely olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove crushed, to a mushy paste
  • Salt and pepper
  • 80g feta, I prefer the creaminess of Danish, but either works

Method

Trim off the leaves from the sprouting broccoli. If you are using regular broccoli the stems are thick, cut them into two or four length-ways, so you are left with long, thin stems that are similar in proportion to the french beans if using
Bring a medium pot of unsalted water to a boil. Blanch the beans for 3 mins, until just tender but still crunchy. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the beans, run them under plenty of cold water to refresh, then dry in a tea towel. Once all the vegetables are cooked and dry, mix them in a bowl with the oil.

Toss the tomatoes together with the beans, season with the mushed garlic, salt and pepper

serve at room temperature ….enjoy !

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Best Custard Slice Ever

The Recipe

This custard recipe is known as a Creme Patisserie or Creme pat. The gorgeous texture and flavour enable it to be used as a base for a Chantilly cream ( just add whipped cream and whisk till lump free) or piped and baked in a Portuguese tart kinda way, or as I adore, as a filling for the best ever custard slice.

My sisters and mother helped me perfect the custard slice, adding the apricot jam ( sister) and the berries ( mother ), but it really is something you can have fun with and put together – provided you bake the pastry and make the custard the day before – in a matter of 20 mins.

There are, as with most delicious recipes a few points to bear in mind to ensure a result that might make you squeal with delight if you’ve previously suffered with a dissapointing result

It is important to make it the day before, allowing enough time to have the whole mixture cool down.

It is also very important that the paste you make with the egg yolks, corn flour, flour and sugar is made quickly not allowing the sugar to make contact with the yolks for too long. This ‘burns’ the eggs and will result in tiny annoying ‘bits’.

Please let me know if you have any questions on this or any other baking/cooking matter.

I would also love to know if this recipe was of any use to you.