Maple Pecan Fudge Recipes

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square pan with foil; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., Cube remaining butter. In a large saucepan, combine cubed butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat., Stir in maple flavoring, vanilla and salt. Add confectioners' sugar; beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool completely., Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Line 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper and butter thoroughly.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan combine butter, maple syrup, cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved (about 10 minutes). Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 240 degrees on candy thermometer (about 20-25 minutes). *Do NOT stir, as sugar will crystallize!
• Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool until candy thermometer drops to 160 degrees.
• Pour mixture into mixing bowl.
• Add vanilla extract to mixture and beat until mixture loses glossy appearance (about 5-10 minutes).
• Fold in pecans and mix thoroughly.
• Transfer mixture to parchment lined pan. Press fudge evenly into pan. Place pan on a cooling rack and score fudge into desired sized bites. Cool thoroughly (about 2 hours).
• Flip over onto a cutting board, remove and discard parchment. Flip again so score marks are visible.
• Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut fudge.
• Place fudge in waxed paper lined air-tight container. Place waxed paper in between each layer of fudge.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Meanwhile, butter loaf pan. Attach candy thermometer to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook maple syrup, cream, and salt, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Stop whisking and continue to boil until thermometer registers 238°F, about 40 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and let cool to 130°F, about 40 minutes.Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric mixer or wooden spoon) and beat on medium speed until fudge is stiff and opaque, about 12 minutes. Fold in pecans. Scrape fudge into prepared pan; smooth surface. Chill until cool and firm, about 2 hours.
• Do Ahead
• Fudge can be made 1 week ahead; tightly wrap and chill.

Steps:

• Line an 8 inch square baking dish with foil, leave a 1 inch overhang. Grease foil.
• Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 180C (350F) oven for 8 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside.
• Grease the sides of a heavy saucepan. Add the sugar, cream, maple syrup, butter and baking soda.
• Cook over a medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil.
• Boil without stirring until 1/2 teaspoon dropped into cold water forms a soft ball (or candy thermometer reaches 114C/238F) - approximately 8 minutes.
• Pour into a wide-bottomed bowl and cool on rack until mixture is just warm to touch (1-2 hours).
• Using a wooden spoon beat in the vanilla, beating until very thick and most of the gloss disappears (approx 7 minutes).
• Quickly stir in the pecans and scrape mixture into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Let cool then use remove from pan and cut into pieces.

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil that extends over the sides. Coat the foil with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the maple syrup, half-and-half, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer from the pan, and place the thermometer in warm water to cool. Sprinkle a marble board or the back of a baking sheet with cold water and immediately pour the hot mixture onto the marble. Do not scrape out the bottom of the pan. Dot the surface of the mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110°F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes). If using a baking sheet instead of the marble, the cooling time will be about 15 minutes.
• Beat the fudge using one of the following three methods: With a 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper, transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vanilla, and with the paddle attachment, beat the mixture until it thickens and loses its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Or transfer the mixture to a 2-quart mixing bowl, add the vanilla, and beat the mixture with a long-handled wooden spoon until it thickens and loses its shine (10 to 15 minutes). In both cases, add the chopped pecans after beating the fudge and mix until they are blended in (about 30 seconds). Or spread the mixture into a large rectangle on the marble board, sprinkle on the vanilla, then use the 5-inch-wide flexible-blade scraper to gather the mixture back to the center of the marble, folding in the edges. Repeat this process until the mixture begins to thicken and lose its shine (5 to 10 minutes). Sprinkle on the chopped pecans and continue to work the fudge to incorporate them (about 1 minute).
• Turn the fudge into the prepared pan. Use your fingertips to even the top and to press the fudge into the corners of the pan. Place the pan of fudge on a cooling rack and let it set completely at room temperature (1 to 2 hours).
• Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting out the aluminum foil. Invert the fudge onto a cutting board, peel the foil off the back of the fudge, and reinvert the fudge. With a large chef's knife, cut the fudge evenly into 1-inch squares. Between layers of waxed paper in a tightly covered container, the fudge will keep for 10 days at room temperature or 1 month in the refrigerator. The fudge is best served at room temperature.
• VARIATION
• Maple Walnut Fudge: Substitute walnuts for the pecans.

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil that overhangs. Coat the foil with 1 tbsp of the butter.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the maple syrup, half-and-half, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooded spoon or heatproof spatula.
• Bring he mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
• Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer and place in warm water to cool it.
• Sprinkle a marble board, or the back of a baking sheet with cold water, and immediately pour the hot mixture on the marble DO NOT SCRAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN! (THIS CREATES HARD PARTS AND WILL THROW OFF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE WHOLE BATCH).
• Dot the surface with remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110 F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes, or 15 minutes with a baking sheet).
• Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer, add the vanilla, and with the paddle attachment, beat for 5-10 minutes until it looses its shine and thickens OR put in a bowl and use a wooden spoon.
• Add chopped pecans, turn into prepared pan and use fingertips to even the top and press the fudge into the corners. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let set for 2 hours.