Sunday, February 10, 2013

Red Velvet Fudge for Valentine's #SundaySupper

Being single, I don't really "do" the Valentine's Day thing. Granted, as a kid (back in the days of the elementary school "mandatory" card exchange), the chalky candy and overly sweet milk chocolate shapes didn't hold a whole lot of allure either. Call me a jaded child, but the whole fact that the cards were only given and received because we were expected to have one for everyone in the class made the idea of the holiday seem a bit, well, fake. As a result, I really started to doubt the "authentic" V-Day gifts out there, not only those I was given but the ones others had as well.

Yeah, I know, what a party pooper I am. Hey, at least I'm bringing chocolate to the mix - and not the fakey, PGPR-laced, shaped into every shape under the sun kind either. No, no. I'm bringing a blood- (or happy heart if you want) red, tangy, smooth buttermilk fudge. Red Velvet Fudge, to be specific.

Red Velvet FudgeI wish I could have taken credit for the idea, and the recipe. But that honour goes to Pam of The Meltaways , who posted this way back in October for Twelve Weeks of Christmas Treats. When I saw it all those months ago, I knew I had to make it - not least because it's a great use up for buttermilk!

The first time I tried to make this fudge, I followed the directions exactly - but my results (which are what you see in the photos) looked nothing like Pam's. Unfortunately, it didn't even firm up after a month in the freezer! I couldn't let the delicious tasting, super-soft fudge go to waste, though - I coated (quickly cut) slices in dark chocolate, drizzled them with white and pink chocolate melts, and re-labeled them Valentine's truffle bars! The second time (I'm a glutton for punishment), I used a mix of white and brown sugar and cooked the candy mixture a little longer (to "firm ball" stage). I gave it a good 5 hours to cool down (I had to run some errands so just kept it covered with a splatter guard on the counter), then beat the bejeezus out of it with my stand mixer. It was much better that time around, more similar to the fudge of my childhood fairground memories. Either way, it is 100% worth it, but I agree with Pam that you should make many small batches - candy is too finicky to reliably scale up too much!

Red Velvet Fudge Scraps

Today, our #SundaySupper clan is celebrating Valentine’s Day in a way that only #SundaySupper can! We’ve got main dishes, desserts, and drinks galore, not to mention a romantic tablescape to take your Valentine’s celebration to the next level! Check out everything on the docket below:

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Breakfasts, Apps & Main Dishes:

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Sweet Eats:

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Drinks:

#SundaySupper Valentine’s Day Tablescape:  A Romantic Table For Two Please fromAn Appealing Plan

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter to talk all about Valentine’s eats and treats!  We’ll tweet throughout the day, and our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.  Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board too for more fabulous recipes and food photos!

Red Velvet Fudge
Makes one 9x5" pan, 27 pieces
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp gel red food colouring
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp salted butter 
  1. Mix sugars, buttermilk, cocoa and food colouring in a heavy saucepan.
  2. Whisk until well blended and place on medium high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring almost constantly.
  3. Cook until the mixture hits 243-244F.
  4. Stop stirring and remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla at this time but do not stir in.
  5. Cool until mixture reaches less than 150F.
  6. With an electric mixer (I recommend a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) beat for 10 minutes, until fudge loses it sheen.
  7. Pour into a well greased, foil lined 9x5" loaf pan.
  8. Chill 2-3 hours, until firm. Keep refrigerated, or store in the freezer for long-term enjoyment!
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 76.6
Total Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 3.8 mg
Sodium: 22.1 mg
Total Carbs: 19.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.5 g

4 comments :

  1. This looks gorgeous!Love the fact that it uses buttermilk and also the pretty color :)

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  2. Good save on the fudge! My red velvet loving (and fudge loving) daughter would love this treat!

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  3. Oh I have buttermilk that needs to be used up! Maybe I see fudge in my future ;)

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  4. YUM! Now I want fudge for breakfast! lol Your photos looks amazing!

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Thanks for the feedback!