Christmas noms: Peanut butter caramel fudge

Not to get all Nigella on you or anything but this stuff is like crack.  (Too soon??)

It’s creamy, salty-sweet, peanutty perfection. And so gosh darn addictive it really should be illegal. Oh, and did I mention it only takes like 10 minutes to make? Stop it!

I made it for the Baking for Hospice Christmas round just been and found myself “tasting” a substantial amount of it. Just to quality check it of course.

I don't even usually like fudge.  Usually it's too sweet and crumbly and just like eating a sugar cube, but these puppies are chewy and creamy and the peanut butter gives it a salty sweet edge making them ridiculously easy to eat.

To be honest I just could not stop shovelling this stuff into my face.  Yes, I went a bit nuts over it.

Peanut Butter Caramel Fudge, why you so good?

Looking at the ingredients list though, it’s no wonder why this fudge is addictive/ magnificent/ stupendous: brown sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup, peanut butter.  

All the major food groups.

I always make my fudge in the microwave for convenience but also because I tend to have mares with I make it stove top.  Just like when I tried to make these the other day for my work team and totally burnt the whole batch.  I fudged it up.

Santa, a microwave for Christmas would be amazing!

And the best way I found to make sure I didn’t eat the whole tray myself is to give them away as Christmas gifts.

Peanut butter caramel fudge

-->Makes around 25 pieces

125g butter

1 x 395g sweetened condensed milk

4 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 - 3/4 tsp normal salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

200g chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup peanuts roasted salted or ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts + sea salt.

1. Line a 21cm  square baking dish with wax paper making sure it goes right up the sides with some overhang.

2.  In a large microwave safe bowl, place brown sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, golden syrup and salt and stir to combine.  Microwave uncovered on Medium-High (our microwave is 1200W) in 2 minute bursts whisking in between each bursts for a total of around 8-10 minutes until the mixture comes to a bubbling boil and reaches 244oF using a candy thermometer.  If you don't have a candy thermometer, heat until you can drop some of the mixture into cold water and form a firm ball with it.

3. Place the bowl on a heatproof surface and wait for the mixture to stop bubbling. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour into your prepared pan and sprinkle over the chopped peanuts, pressing them into the mixture a little. Let it set at room temperature for at least 3 hours. 

4. Lift the set mixture on to a chopping board. Cut into around 2cm cubes with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife between each cut (heating the knife would help with a cleaner cut too). Keep wrapped in wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.