Peanut Butter Fudge: Re-Do

, , , 0 Comments

I was so embarrassed after I tasted the final fudge disaster.  It was hard, crumbly and pretty much inedible.  How can someone with some tiny bit of culinary sense, a relatively competent mind, and a candy thermometer screw up fudge?  Well, I did it!

So, you may want to discontinue reading this blog, unless you want to feel better about yourself and laugh at the woman who couldn’t make something yummy using peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.  I am ashamed!

I felt the need to redeem myself.

My original inspiration was marshmallow fluff.  But now it’s getting serious and I just need a spectacular Peanut Butter Fudge.  So, I tried this recipe from Alton Brown.  It uses the microwave and doesn’t require a candy thermometer.  I was a little skeptical, but the recipe was highly rated, and his recipes have always turned out pretty great when I’ve tried them in the past.

The final product was creamy, sweet, rich and while not seeping with peanut butter flavor, was very good.  It was also incredibly easy.  If you’re planning to make treats for people this Christmas, or need something to add to a cookie tray, this is an easy and yummy fudge.

pbfudge3

Peanut Butter Fudge

(courtesy of Alton Brown)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pound (about 3 and 3/4 cups) powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high.
  2. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes.
  3. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
  4. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper.
  5. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool.
  6. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Peanut Butter Fluff Fudge

, , , 3 Comments

fluffMarshmallow Fluff is one of those things that should probably never have been invented.  It wouldn’t have been invented by anyone but Americans.  I love the stuff.  A friend of mine in high school grew up in Boston and began bringing “Fluffernutters” for lunch and I was amazed!  Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiched in between two slices of white bread.  Perfection…in a weird way.

I had a jar of Fluff in the pantry.  Do not ask me why.  Someone must have snuck it into my shopping cart.  So I found this recipe for peanut butter fudge that uses a jar of the sticky and almost sickeningly sweet white goop.

This wasn’t the best fudge I’ve ever made.  A few years ago I used this recipe from Rachel Ray with terrific results.  I made a few batches; chocolate with peanuts and raisins, and white chocolate with cranberries and pistachios.  Both were delicious and simple.  The recipe can be easily adapted.  Change the chips to white, or peanut butter, and then add in the same amount of any nut, chopped candies or dried fruit.  Endless options!

I might try to create a peanut butter fudge using the Rachel Ray recipe.  This recipe produced good tasting fudge, but it was very dry and crumbly.  I am pretty confident that I did something wrong.  It tastes OK, but maybe not good enough to waste a whole lot of calories.  It may end up in the trash.  I don’t do that often, but when I have a choice between delicious cookie swap cookies and dry sugary fudge…it’s not exactly a tough decision.  If you want to try this and tell me what I did to make such a rock hard pan of sugar, please do!

fudge1

Peanut Butter Fudge (cooks.com)

  • 2 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/2 of 7 1/2 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 12 oz. jar peanut butter
  1. Cook sugar, butter, marshmallow and milk on stove top over medium-high heat until it boils.
  2. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Remove from the heat, add peanut butter and mix until creamy.
  4. Spread in an 8×8 pan and let cool.

Marshmallow Wreath

, , , 14 Comments

Isn’t this wreath adorable?  I saw it in the Food Network magazine that I picked up at the airport so that I would have some “reading” material for the plane.  I saw it and immediately knew I had to make it.  There are also ideas for making wreaths out of rock candy, cinnamon sticks and popcorn.  All very cute, but this was my favorite.  You can see them all here.

mallowwreath

My color scheme this year for Christmas is blue, white, silver and sparkle, so this wreath seemed like a perfect addition to our holiday decor.

mallowwreath2

Mine doesn’t look like the one in the magazine, but I think it turned out pretty great considering my skill in crafts.

It took me about 30 minutes to put together, not including the time it needs to set in the fridge.  Make sure you let it set.  When I hung this on my door I could see that an hour in the fridge was not enough as the soft mallows began to get flattened.  I will hang it permanently tomorrow.

In the first stages of attaching the marshmallows it looked like it would end up being a complete disaster.  I started to brainstorm what I could make with all the marshmallows I bought.  But I kept adding more and more marshmallows, and it started to take shape.  I filled in the holes with the mini mallows, and while there are some spots of styrofoam visible, it looks OK.

I may not be the most creative or crafty person out there, but I made a wreath, I made it out of food, and I had fun doing it.  So, for me anyway, this was a success.

Here are the instructions, if you’d like to make one yourself.  I think it would be cute to make little ones and use them as candle rings, or even as napkin rings.  One successful crafting experience and I’m getting entirely too ambitious!  Maybe I’ll just stick with this so that I can avoid any disappointment in crafting disasters.

Marshmallow Wreath

  • You will need a few bags of large marshmallows, and one bag of mini marshmallows.
  • Insert about 150 toothpicks halfway into a 12-inch flat foam wreath, then skewer a marshmallow onto each toothpick.
  • Refrigerate overnight to set.

Italian Cream Cake & “Happy Birthday Ben!”

, , , , , , 1 Comment

I love my husband.  I love when he has a birthday because I get to shower him with gifts, and a special birthday dinner.  I really love that his favorite cake is Italian cream because that is also MY favorite cake!  What are the chances?  We were meant to be.  So, when November 30th rolls around I have a great reason to make this cake.  It is so perfect.

icc1I have several recipes for this cake.  All 3 are from mothers of my college friends.  They are hand written and marked with water, cake batter, and one is even scorched on the edge.  I love when recipes get like that.  I like to see the differences in recipes and figure out how those differences effect the end product.  With these recipes however, the ingredients and processes are almost identical.  This leaves me to conclude that over time this recipe has been perfected and therefore should not be messed with.

(more…)

1 2