Using a recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk, sugar, marshmallows
and semi-sweet choc chips as the primary ingredients.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuQ8GAOdyLg&NR=1

A couple of things I'm running into, I can't seem to completely
eliminate the sugar graininess. It's hard to tell of course from a
video, not sure mine's coming out as smooth as his even though I'm
doing what he's doing.

He says to bring it to a rapid boil, but I find I start getting
caramelization of the sugar, i.e. darkened bits start appearing long
before the boiling point even though I'm constantly stirring.

Also, I'm adding bourbon. I find if I add it when adding the chocolate
and mixing it, much of the bourbon flavor dissipates. I'm ultimately
pouring the bourbon directly on the fudge once it's firmed up and
scored with a knife.

Recommendations?

Thanks.

On Dec 29, 1:57*pm, muzician21 > wrote:
> Using a recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk, sugar, marshmallows
> and semi-sweet choc chips as the primary ingredients.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuQ8GAOdyLg&NR=1
>
> A couple of things I'm running into, I can't seem to completely
> eliminate the sugar graininess. It's hard to tell of course from a
> video, not sure mine's coming out as smooth as his even though I'm
> doing what he's doing.
>
> He says to bring it to a rapid boil, but I find I start getting
> caramelization of the sugar, i.e. darkened bits start appearing long
> before the boiling point even though I'm constantly stirring.
>
> Also, I'm adding bourbon. I find if I add it when adding the chocolate
> and mixing it, much of the bourbon flavor dissipates. I'm ultimately
> pouring the bourbon directly on the fudge once it's firmed up and
> scored with a knife.
>
> Recommendations?

Gotta keep any sugar syrup hot enough to prevent "graininess" or
recrystallization of the sugar. And that's assuming you got all the
sugar completely dissolved in the first place.

I dis not watch the video, but I do not see any mention of a candy
thermometer in your above text. So I'm assuming you are using the
"combine and cook" method and trying to eyeball it. Otherwise I'd
advise adding some water to make sure all the sugar dissolves, to be
cooked back out by temp. But if you are not monitoring the temp, you
can't do that.

OBTW bourbon has water in it, so...be careful! And maybe get as candy
thermometer.

Or switch to ganache and skip the whole "fudge" thing. I did! :-)

John Kuthe...

On Dec 29, 5:53*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:

> Gotta keep any sugar syrup hot enough to prevent "graininess" or
> recrystallization of the sugar. And that's assuming you got all the
> sugar completely dissolved in the first place.


I would say the sugar isn't completely dissolved, i.e. to the point of
just being a runny syrup with no sugar grain visible.

> I dis not watch the video, but I do not see any mention of a candy
> thermometer in your above text. So I'm assuming you are using the
> "combine and cook" method and trying to eyeball it.


He doesn't use a thermometer in his preparation, just says to bring
the butter/condensed milk/sugar mixture to a rapid boil before adding
the marshmallows and chocolate chips off the heat but I see he puts it
back on briefly a time or two to facilitate melting the chocolate and
marshmallows.

I have a candy thermometer since my first several attempts at making
fudge were the "hard way" but never did get acceptable results, that's
why I went to this "cheat" method.

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:52:55 -0800 (PST), muzician21
> wrote:
>
>How to eliminate graininess and retain bourbon flavor in fudge.

Easy, drink the bourbon over ice and screw the fudge.

I wouldn't put it past you. Vodka gets you hot over cats; bourbon, fudge? Maybe it's time to put the glass (or funnel) down.