Pumpkin Fudge I Made It Ii

Pumpkin Fudge

DIZ3 8 years ago
Recipe: Pumpkin Fudge
By: Michellem
Date: 10/21/2016

***October Pumpkin Challenge***

Pumpkin fudge is one of my favorite holiday treats. This recipe turned out pretty well considering fudge is one of those things I’ve never been able to master. Mine ALWAYS turns out dry and grainy and this was no exception. I used a candy thermometer and even calibrated it before use just to make sure it was accurate. I never have issues with other types of candies, just fudge. :( As far as flavor, to me it tastes more like white chocolate and could use more pumpkin and definitely more pumpkin spice. My hubby said just the opposite. He liked the flavor, just didn’t care for the graininess. I omitted the pecans, but lined the bottom of the pan with chopped walnuts and poured the fudge over the top. Going to hang on to this recipe and work on making adjustments. Maybe one of these days I will be able to make a fudge that isn’t grainy.
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chuckieb 8 years ago said:

Well it looks STUNNING DIZ3! What a perfect picture! I've never been great at fudge making myself. I then tried a recipe from a can of Eagle Brand Cream that worked wonderfully so I stick with that. :)

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mommyluvs2cook 8 years ago said:

I've never tried making fudge. I have had grainy fudge though and I can see how it can be frustrating. They do look beautiful though!!! :)

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NadineM 8 years ago said:

Hi DIZ3. Lv the pic. I too hv not made fudge in ages mine was always grannies like others.

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bakerme 8 years ago said:

Gorgeous photo, DIZ! I'm not a fudge lover, but yours looks like it's from a gourmet food magazine.

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

Thank you, Chuckieb & Mommyluvs2cook! It's funny because I make all kinds of candies during the holidays like truffles, caramels, turtles, toffee, etc, and yet I cannot not make fudge. I've read where you are not supposed to stir it once it starts to boil, but that hasn't worked for me either. Just going to have to stick to the mix and melt recipes. :)

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

Thank you, Nadine and Bakerme!

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bakerme 8 years ago said:

I have a peanut butter fudge recipe that I actually like, and it doesn't need a candy thermometer. It just boils for 5 minutes without stirring. The first time I made it, it came out perfectly! The second and third times, it wouldn't set up at all and was such a squishy mess that I couldn't use it for gifts. I have no idea what happened those next few times, but now I'm leery about trying it again. If anybody has any thoughts on what could have gone wrong and what I need to do to make it work again, I'm open!

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

I'm all ears, too, Bakerme! I've made peanut butter fudge before and sometimes it set and sometimes it didn't. Hence, the reason I stay away from fudge recipes that require cooking. The one I use now is a very simple 3 or 4 ingredient recipe that calls for melting peanut butter and almond bark together. Works every time!

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bakerme 8 years ago said:

DIZ, here's the recipe I used. It's really really good, but I need to know how to make it foolproof!

1-1/2 sticks (3/4 C.) BUTTER
3 C. granulated sugar
2/3 C. half and half
one 13 oz. jar marshmallow crème
one 12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 C. creamy peanut butter

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar and half and half and, stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil. Boil 5 mins ONLY! Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow crème until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips until chips are melted and well blended. Add peanut butter and stir well. Quickly spread mixture evenly in parchment paper lined or nonstick 15X10 jelly roll pan. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate just long enough to firm up, about 15 mins. Remove and cut into small squares. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

The non-expert here is going to make a suggestion. lol! I would say that it needs to cook a tad bit longer. Or, at least make sure that it's at a hard boil before you start counting. The other thing is that I see it calls for a 13oz jar of marshmallow crème. Don't know if there are different jar sizes, but the one I bought the other day was only 7oz. Maybe need to use 2 jars.

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bakerme 8 years ago said:

I agree about the boiling, but I'm a little confused. My recipe should use two jars or the one you tried should use two?

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Cosmicmother 8 years ago said:

Beautiful picture Diz! I've never even heard of pumpkin fudge before, but it sounds delicious!
Fudge is a tricky thing to make, the temperature inside the home can make a difference too. The biggest thing is the sugar crystals. The marshmallow crème and corn syrup are suppose to help with that though, but if there are any stray sugar crystals that did not get dissolved on the sides of the pot, it can make for a grainy fudge once everything gets mixed together (there's a long scientific reason for this about molecules forming to the sugar crystal etc..) Just like making caramel, you can use a pastry brush dipped in water and just paint the inside of the pot while the sugar is heating/boiling, this will help dissolve any lingering sugar crystals and the water will evaporate.
I agree with Diz, Bakerme, I would think the fudge was not boiling long enough or heated to the right softball temp. You can fix the fudge if didn't set up, by adding water and reboiling it. There are tons of websites that tell you how to fix it :)

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

I'm just saying when you buy marshmallow crème to make sure you get the correct size. You're recipe calls for a 13oz jar. I have not seen the large 13oz jars on the shelf in a long time. At least not where I shop. The only size I can get are 7oz jars. Fine for my recipe, but way short for yours. That would definitely make a difference whether or not your fudge set up.

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DIZ3 8 years ago said:

Thank you, Cosmicmother! Agree, candy making can be a real science. When it comes to caramel, I've never heard of using a pastry brush and brushing down the sides of the pot. I've always used an "old" heavy pot and a wooden spoon. Turns out creamy every time! Since it works, I just go with it. lol!

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Cosmicmother 8 years ago said:

Lol, I'm the same way--once you find a method that works for you, then stick with it! Without writing a long book here, I found this site that gives tips on sugar and explains the pastry brush trick better. A quick read, just a few points here:
http://www.thekitchn.com/candymaking-basics-how-to-work-65049

The acid trick is a good one too, like explained in the article. I use that in my filling for apple sticky buns by adding lemon juice. Adding cream of tartar to the fudge should help your fudge from being grainy, as it would help prevent the crystal formation.
Anyways, a few tricks in that article :)

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bakerme 8 years ago said:

Thanks, DIZ. It's been several years since I tried making fudge and maybe the 13 oz. jars of marshmallow creme aren't available anymore. I will have to check when I go grocery shopping again and see what's on the shelves now.

Thanks for the link, Cosmicmom. There are lots of good tips there, and I was especially interested to see that she recommends using a clean spoon, preferably stainless steel, every time you stir the candy.

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