Oh fudge!

I'm thinking about making several batches of the fudge recipe featured in the current Cooks Illustrated, but I'd like to try variations. They offer a peanut butter fudge, but I'm not interested. (To quote Snoopy: blearghhh).

I'm specifically interested in trying a batch with some candied ginger, and perhaps a "mexican chocolate" version with some cinnamon. Does anyone have any experience with the effect of "add ins" on the fudge-making process? Will I screw up the delicate chemistry of chocolate and walnuts? I just don't have the time to risk too much experimentation these days...

Thanks in advance!

I can't really help, but please do report back with what you wind up doing. I was thinking about doing the same thing myself and preparing the fudge as holiday gifts.

Best,
Michael

geli, i made the walnut fudge and found it inedible. hard to explain how i could not like chocolate, but it happened. the texture was hard, rather than creamy, and the whole mess was too sweet. i quickly gave it away. having said that, i can assure you , if you make it, that you wont have any trouble folding in candied ginger or cinammon. even a traditional recipe where you have to cook the fudge to a precise temp wouldnt be hurt by add-ins at the end. i'll be curious to hear how you like it. i dont try many recipes from Cooks illustrated, but when i do, i'm often disappointed. (the last thing i tried was chocolate pot au creme, from a few months back. one of my favorite desserts, but this version was unappealing. too much chocolate, not too rich, but very unbalanced.) justjoan

yes ... adding in other things near the end of the process won't hurt as long as it's reached the right temp and want the sugar to start to crystalize. Adding in things too early will probably cause premature crystalization, leading to a not-so-creamy result (ie larger crystals).

I'd also suggest the Good Eats fudge recipe as I've never had anything less than great results with it.

Thanks everybody! I'm trying the fudge tomorrow; I'll report back.

The Good Eats fudge recipe is a great idea, I've made a lot of his recipes with success. Maybe I'll try that first before the Cooks Illustrated version, since justjoan has reported bad results.

Anyway, it can't be a bad way to spend an afternoon, right?

Well, I made the Cook's Illustrated recipe first, since I was missing a candy thermometer necessary for the Good Eats recipe. I kind of--wait for it--"fudged" the measurements since I realized too late that I had left my measuring spoons at my Grandmother's house over Thanksgiving, but it actually turned out pretty well. I used Ghirardelli's semi-sweet chips and two ounces of Baker's unsweetened chocolate, and while the texture was wierd as I was making it, very slick and shiny, it became nice and creamy as it firmed up. So far a co-worker and my landlord have given it a thumb's up.

I didn't add anything other than what the recipe calls for, yet, since I wanted to make sure the basic recipe worked, but I will try variations soon.

Tonight I'm making the Good Eats recipe, and if it's even better: wow! I'll divide it in two, and try candied ginger in one half.

I just watched the Good Eats fudge episode again ... be sure to add the ginger right as it turns matte when stirring like mad !