by posting this recipe i am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the california milk advisory board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. i was not compensated for my time.
once again, the recipe redux has challenged us to lighten up a favorite.this time we’re cooking with milk… california milk. did you know that california is the #1 dairy producing state in the US. they produce more milk and butter than any other state. those california dairy products are available statewide. just look for the seals to know it’s from the golden state.
i’m a sucker for fudge. i’m always drawn into those fudge stores, that smell like sugar, and have slabs of varieties of fudge under glass to drool over. there’s something awesome and old school about fudge.
this delicious batch i decided to make purely with maple syrup, cutting out the refined sugars entirely. there’s a bit of tang from the buttermilk, crunch from pepitas, and a taste of salt right at the end. it reminded me a lot of the leche quemada i grew up eating as a girl…. mouth-watering.
Maple, Pepita & Buttermilk Fudge
Servings 16 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups grade b maple syrup
- 1 cup California buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons California butter
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup toasted pepitas pumpkin seeds
- Coarse salt for garnish
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on both long sides.
- Combine maple syrup, buttermilk, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Begin cooking over medium-high heat to bring to a boil. Cook until a candy thermometer reaches soft ball (240°), stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until mixture thickens, cools, and becomes more matte in color. Stir in vanilla and pepitas. Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing top to smooth. Sprinkle with coarse salt; allow to cool completely before cutting.
