In my house, we have a special occasion breakfast tradition – but it’s not the kind you’d expect. We don’t go in for plates loaded with eggs or dainty French pastries, and as a vegetarian I certainly don’t go in for big meaty masterpieces loaded with bacon and sausage. No, in the Jones household, we buy big boxes of cheap and syrupy maple pecan crisp cereal, and sit and gorge ourselves silly on this twice-yearly treat. There’s something about this flavour combination that makes my tastebuds weep with joy – which is why I was so thrilled to stumble across FakeGinger’s recipe for maple pecan fudge.
One of the main selling points of this recipe is that it doesn’t require a candy thermometer, but it’s also surprisingly low maintenance in terms of attention (the most effort you’ll have to put in is a ten minute long stirring session). This is the easiest candy recipe I’ve made in a very long time, and the results were mind blowingly delicious. It would look great stacked up in cellophane bags as a Christmas gift – after all, ‘tis (nearly) the season!
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Maple Pecan Fudge
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 25 1x
Description
A sweet and sugary treat loaded with crunchy pecans.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (100g) pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 cups (440g) packed brown sugar
- 2 cups (250g) fondant sugar
- 5oz (150g) evaporated milk
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a buttered baking tin with parchment paper or clingfilm, and set aside.
- Add the brown sugar, evaporated milk and butter to a heavy bottomed saucepan, and stir over a gentle heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue to boil over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Take the pan off of the heat and add the fondant sugar, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Use an electric hand whisk or standing mixer on a low setting to whip the mixture for three minutes, until smooth and shiny.
- Add 80g of the chopped pecans and fold through until distributed evenly.
- Pour the mixture into the pre-lined pan, even out with a rubber spatula, and then sprinkle with the remaining pecans.
- Allow the fudge to come to room temperature, and then refrigerate for 2+ hours until set.
- Cut up into bite size pieces and serve!
Notes
- The cooking time does not include chilling.
- You’ll need to allow at least two hours for your mixture to become firm and fudgy – sadly, it cannot be eating straight from the pan (unless you want burnt fingers!)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 160
Find it online: https://honestcooking.com/maple-pecan-fudge-recipe/
Looking for the best way to make fondant at home? Read more here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a candy thermometer to make this fudge?
No — the article highlights this as one of the recipe’s main selling points. Instead of a thermometer, you simply boil the brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter mixture over medium-low heat for exactly 10 minutes while stirring constantly.
What is fondant sugar, and why does this fudge use it?
Fondant sugar (also called icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar in some markets) is very finely ground sugar that dissolves quickly into the hot mixture. The recipe adds 2 cups (250g) of it off the heat along with the maple syrup and vanilla, then whips the mixture for 3 minutes to produce a smooth, shiny fudge texture.
How long does the fudge need to chill before it’s ready to cut?
The notes say to refrigerate for at least 2 hours after it reaches room temperature — the fudge cannot be eaten straight from the pan. The total time listed is 2 hours 25 minutes including the 15-minute prep and 10-minute cook.
YUMMY
Great.I tried it. It was YUMMY