Chocolate, Honey and Hazelnut Fridge Fudge

I was not quite sure what to call this recipe. It is not really like fudge in the traditional, crystalline sense but something in between fudge and chocolate. The reason for this is that I have sweetened it with honey instead of sugar, giving it a silky smooth, melt in your mouth texture - delicious!

Chocolate Dipped Figs with Orange and Almond

Welcome to the start of the weekend, whoop whoop! Another busy week is coming to an end and our theme for the week has been contending with back to school germs, argh! Because nothing says back to school like a sink full of empty lunch boxes, an inbox crammed with school reminders and snotty noses. True story.

Ten Fabulous Edible Christmas Gift Ideas

Happy Friday! Christmas is just around the corner (eek!) and if the thought of hitting the shopping malls this weekend fills you with dread then this post is just for you. 

Chocolate Fudge Nut Pieces

Such naughtiness on the blog today! I was in two minds about sharing this recipe which was inspired by a treat by Tessa Kiros from her book (and one of my favourites on the cookbook shelf) Apples for Jam. You see, when I tried the recipe it did not come out quite the way I had expected. For one thing the picture in her book shows a toffee square that is much darker and (from what I can see) firmer than what I ended up with. I have made this recipe a few times and I tend to end up with more of a fudgy, crystalline mixture. Still, no complaints about that and the family gave these chocolate fudge nut pieces a thumbs up for blog-worthiness, so who am I to argue. 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles and a food demo in Bloemfontein

Two weeks ago, after months of planning and anticipation, it was finally time to hop on a plane and fly to Bloemfontein where I had been invited to demonstrate some of my recipes to the lovely ladies of Bloemfontein Fynproewers. Exciting times! When I landed I was met at the airport by Alma, one of the committee members who took me straight to the demo venue where the other committee members were all busy in the kitchen preparing my dishes for the audience to taste the following day. I had a chance to get my bearings, check the recipes and also familiarise myself with the demonstration area. At this point the excitement and the nerves were really starting to kick in! 

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Fudge

How has 2016 been treating you so far? Good I hope! It feels as though things have gotten off to a flying start here at Cupcakes and Couscous HQ with lots of little projects on the go. Just the way I like it. 

Festive Rocky Road

Summer holidays are here again and with them (hopefully) some much deserved down time for you all. For many of us this time of the year is steeped in tradition, whether that centres around a getaway to a favourite holiday destination, Christmas festivities or the food we eat. It is also a time for reflection on a year gone by and the inevitable question - just where has this year gone?

Pecan, Almond & Honey Nougat: The I Made It Challenge

A few weeks ago I announced that the "I Made It" challenge for October would be nougat. This is something that I have always wanted to try, especially when I see images of perfect slabs of nougat online or fresh nougat bars in the shops. So when Tandy over at Lavender and Lime asked me to host the challenge this month I knew this was my chance to challenge myself to master this classic sweet.

Double Chocolate Almond Meringues

I whipped these up a while ago when I found myself sitting with a few extra egg whites leftover from a batch of fresh pasta I had made. The perfect excuse to make meringues! Not just any meringues, no no... but an extra special version with dark chocolate and crunchy almonds. They were so delicious that I've made them several times since. 

I Made It: The October Challenge

Yesterday I told you about my first attempt at cassoulet which I decided to make as part of the I Made It challenge for September. Well I'm thrilled to announce that Tandy over at Lavender and Lime has asked me to host October's challenge! 

Chocolate Cherry Fudge

Fudge has always been one of those "hit or miss" recipes for me. I've made it many times and tried different recipes, but I find that if I don't boil it for exactly the right amount of time, the outdoor ambient temperature isn't quite right or the stars aren't aligned on that particular day then the stuff just doesn't set! Alright alright, I may have made those last two things up, my point is that making fudge the traditional way can be problematic.  So, I decided to put together a foolproof "cheat" recipe... straightforward, no sugar thermometer required and you'll have a batch of tasty fudge ready in a snap. 

This is a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth fudge. Creamy and chocolatey with a hint of toffee... your sweet cravings will most definitely be satisfied! 

Pop the fudge squares into a tin or bag, add a beautiful ribbon and hey presto - you have a delicious gift for a lucky, chocoholic friend! You could also serve it alongside a cup of coffee at the end of a meal.

If you aren't a fan of cherries you could replace them with nuts (I'm thinking of hazelnuts, almonds and macadamias) or add a handful of dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots. As for the method I do have an important note: use a larger saucepan than you think you'll need as the mixture will bubble up quite a bit and you don't want it to overflow onto your stove top.

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CHOCOLATE CHERRY FUDGE

Makes 16 squares

1 can (385g) condensed milk
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
60g butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g whole glacé cherries

Step 1.) Line a square 18cm cake tin with baking paper and grease well. Fill a small bowl with cold water and a few blocks of ice and keep it handy. 

Step 2.) Combine the condensed milk, brown sugar and golden syrup in a large saucepan and stir over a very low heat to dissolve the sugar. 

Step 3.) Bring the mixture to the boil, still over a very low heat while stirring continuously. It's important to keep stirring as the mixture can catch on the bottom of the pan and burn in seconds. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes (it should darken slightly), then carefully drop a teaspoonful of the boiling mixture into the bowl of cold water. You should be able to press the syrup together into a soft ball, if not boil the mixture for another few minutes and test again. 

Step 4.) Take the pan off the heat and add the chocolate, butter and vanilla extract. Stir until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth, then add in the cherries.

Step 5.) Tip the fudge into your prepared tin and press down lightly into an even layer. Cover and leave to cool and harden. Once the fudge is set you can cut it into squares. Store in an airtight container.