Friday, December 16, 2005

Christmas Candy: Chocolate Fudge with Cherries



Everyone who has read Diane Mott Davidson's series of culinary mysteries (I've written about them before) might have noticed one specific food item that's often mentioned but never given the recipe for. I'm talking about Julian Teller's chocolate fudge with dried cherries. I nearly drool at the very thought of it, so it finally occurred to me that I could just try any old chocolate fudge recipe and add dried cheerries to it. More specifically, some tart dried cherries from Hadley's, that I've been "saving" for over a year now.

Well, this is one of the un-successful things I've tried lately. It didn't turn out like fudge at all - but oddly, that was a rather happy surprise. Funny thing is, I don't much like fudge. Too crumbly and sweet for me. I prefer chewy, or silky candy. Hm. But something about the combination just sounds so very alluring... So, good thing this particular experiment turned out more like toffee, dense and chewy. The process was simple - melt sugar and milk, add honey, chocolate and butter, let boil until soft ball stage, then place in a water bath until it has cooled down a little, add the cherries, and beat until it's pale and fluffy. Problem? Didn't sound like it. But in the real world, my fudge got rock hard after just a minute of cooling. And it was still hot, too. Beat that? You'd need a jackhammer. So I ended up re-melting it and simply poured it into a small pan to harden. It ain't pretty, but it's surprisingly edible.

Next time I get that chocolate-cherry urge, I think I'll go for a truffle instead. Stay tuned for more christmas candy posts - with recipes, this time!

7 comments:

Ilva said...

But the photo turned out REALLY well though! It's great!

Clivia said...

haha, I have tried my temptation with truffles (from Maria Öhrns Godis this week and last time yesterday. Apparently I have no talent for dipping things in chocolate! But truffles with cherries sounds delicious - maybe I could just roll them in some cocoa powder...
I will post about my truffle debâcle this evening, a story on love and hate, successes and setbacks...;-)

Lori said...

Oh, I love Diane Mott Diavidson, too! Finally, a fellow food blogger who's also a fan! I've tried some of her recipes, and they're quite good too.

Deetsa said...

Hmmm... the combination sounds out of this world and "alluring" as you say. A pity it wasn't so cooperative but at least it tasted good :)

Nic said...

I'm a fan of Diane Mott Davidson, too. There's a recipe for chocolate souffle done on the stovetop in Killer Pancake that I'v been meaning to try for ages. Great idea to make Julian's fudge, Anne!

Unknown said...

totally out of the matter but got a post about Matcha in my blog if YOu are interrested(since i saw that you just got some...)
and the fudge look great to me .....
garance

Billie said...

Hi, Anne, another DMD fan here. I've made the Cereal Killer Cookies, very good. I found your blog while looking for a Pepparkakor recipe. Your kitty Pepparkakor is adorable! ~Billie