3 Ingredient 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 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 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.