Dec 25  #627                              Fudge and Divinity

            Merry Christmas everybody, and for our faithful listeners who are good enough to tune us in this holiday morning, we wish the very best for you and your families.  We've been thinking of Christmas days gone by and how we used to celebrate at home.  One yearly tradition was practiced by my mother who would get out her bowls and beaters on Christmas afternoon and whip up batches of chocolate fudge and its opposite number, snowy white Divinity Fudge. As it happens, candy making is a great exercise in practical chemistry.  It's all about crystallization, water content and the effects of heat on sugar syrup.  It's also about the weather:  DO NOT try to make fudge on a humid day!2.
            Divinity Fudge is a snowy white, fluffy concoction.  It is essentially sugar syrup and egg whites plus any nuts and chopped dried fruit you might want to add.

                                                     Divinity Fudge
2 egg whites
pinch of crème of tartar
2 cups white granulated sugar
½ cup clear corn syrup
½ cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup chopped golden raisins

1.  Beat the egg whites in a large very clean mixing bowl until they begin to whiten.  Add the crème of tartar and continue beating until they are glossy and form peaks.  Set aside in a cool place.
2.  Pour the sifted sugar into a well balanced 3 qt. heavy sauce pan with a good handle.  Add the corn syrup and warm water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Place the sauce pan over low to medium and stir gently with a wooden spoon, keeping the sugar dissolved evenly.  As soon as the syrup begins to boil STOP stirring!  Clip a candy thermometer to the edge of the pan, and do not let its tip touch the bottom.
3.  Allow the syrup to gradually come to 265 degrees.  When it does, reduce heat and allow it to boil a little longer at that temperature.
4.  Have your egg whites and an electric beater standing by.  Gently pour the hot sugar syrup onto the egg whites, beating constantly at medium speed.  Add the vanilla extract.   Beat all the syrup into the egg whites, and keep beating until the mixture loses its gloss.  This may take 5-7 minutes.  Be patient!
5.  Finally add the nuts and chopped raisins and mix evenly.
6.  Pour the mixture into an 8x8x2 baking pan that is well greased with butter.  Allow several hours for the fudge to set up in a cool location.  Cut into squares and serve.

                                                Classic Chocolate Fudge

2 cups white granulated sugar, sifted
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up
2 tbs clear corn syrup
2/3 cup half and half
2 tbs butter, cut into pieces
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts

1.   Combine the sugar, corn syrup and half and half in a heavy 3 qt. sauce pan. Stir the ingredients thoroughly, dissolving the sugar.  When it is dissolved, add the chocolate pieces and place the sauce pan on low to medium heat.  Stir gently with a wooden spoon, helping the melting chocolate to evenly mix.
2.  As the chocolate mixture heats up, it may form tiny crystals on the side of the pan.  Moisten a pastry brush in cold water, and wipe it around the pan sides, dissolving the crystals.  Stir occasionally as the mixture heats.
3.  As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, STOP STIRRING and place a lid on the sauce pan, and allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes.  This permits the steam to wipe down the crystals on the side of the pan.  Remove the lid, and clip a candy thermometer to the edge of the pan.  Do not let the tip touch the bottom of the pan.
4.  Allow the mixture to boil on gentle heat until it reaches a temperature of 236 degrees.  Reduce the heat, and allow the mixture to boil a while longer at that temperature.  Use the pastry brush to deal with any crystals on the side, but otherwise do not stir or shake the pan.
5.  Remove from heat and place the butter pieces on top of the fudge.  Do not stir them in.
Allow the fudge to gradually cool to about 120 degrees.

6.  When cool, use an electric hand beater to whip the fudge, incorporating the butter.  Add the vanilla extract, and continue to whip until the fudge loses its gloss.  This will take several minutes, so be patient.  Finally stir in the walnut pieces and pour the fudge into a well greased 8x8x2 baking dish.  Set aside to cool and set up in a cool place.  Allow at least four hours.

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