Category Archives: Maple Syrup

Salted Smoky Maple Pecan Fudge

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Makes 36 pieces

Ingredients

  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, chopped
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure Maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, roasted and roughly chopped
  • Kosher Salt, to taste

Method

  1. Line and butter an 8-inch square baking pan or silicone pan with baking parchment, allowing the parchment to extend over sides of pan
  2. Mix the evaporated milk, brown sugar and butter in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 236°F on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). (Be patient- this will take about 30 minutes. Also DO NOT leave it unattended!)
  3. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. (Careful! The sides of the bowl will become VERY hot)
  4. Add the icing sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract and liquid smoke and beat together with on low speed. Increase speed to medium; beat until thickened and smooth.
  5. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the chopped pecans. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of the fudge with kosher salt to your taste. (I usually use 2 good pinches, evenly sprinkled)
  6. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. Use baking parchment to lift out of pan onto cutting board.
  7. Cut into 36 squares and enjoy!
  8. If stored at room temperature this will keep for up to a week in an air-tight container, if stored in the fridge it will last for up to two weeks

Pouding Chomeur

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Makes 4 individual portions, or one 8″ x 8″ large portion

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup milk

Sauce

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Lightly grease 4 individual (0.25L) mini-cocottes, ramekins or other ovenproof dishes and place them onto a baking tray
  2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until a rough, crumbly mixture – similar to thick breadcrumbs, or damp sand, is achieved
  3. Add the milk, and stir just until the mixture comes together
  4. Spoon this into the prepared smaller baking dishes. Set aside while you prepare the sauce

Sauce

  1. Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, water, butter, and vanilla in a pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally
  2. Once it reaches a rolling boil, remove it from the heat and ladle this over the cake in the ramekins
  3. Bake the puddings for about 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the centre of a pudding comes out almost clean
  4. Remove from the oven and let the puddings cool for about 15 minutes before serving (be careful syrup is hot!)
  5. Serve and enjoy

Chocolate Pouding Chomeur

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Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup chocolate milk
  • 2oz semi-sweet chocolate (I use bars with 1/4 oz square so I can put 2 in each dish)

Sauce

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly grease 4 individual (0.25L) mini-cocottes, ramekins or other ovenproof dishes and place them onto a baking tray
  2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until a rough, crumbly mixture – similar to thick breadcrumbs or damp sand is achieved
  3. Add the milk, chocolate milk and stir just until the mixture comes together
  4. Spoon this into the prepared smaller baking dishes. Push 2 x 1/4 oz square of chocolate into the middle of each pudding. Set aside while you prepare the sauce

Sauce

  1. Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, water, butter and vanilla in a pan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once it reaches a rolling boil, remove it from the heat and ladle this over the cake in the ramekins.
  3. Bake the puddings for about 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the centre of a pudding comes out clean.
  4. Remove from the oven and let the puddings cool for about 15 minutes before serving (be careful syrup is hot!)

Blueberry & Almond Maple Fudge

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Think of this as a pimped up Fruit & Nut bar. For me the recipe brings to mind a stroll through the woods and spying all the wild bounty. In fact, if I were anyone else, a foraging trip. Crunchy toasted almonds give a wonderful textural contrast to the smooth, creamy fudge studded with blueberry flavor. Being dried their flavor is that little bit more concentrated and works really well to provide pops of berry to counter the fudge becoming too cloying. As for the maple syrup? Well, IMO everything tastes better with maple syrup!

By the way- a date for your diary? May 12th is Nutty Fudge Day. There you have it- a perfect reason to try this recipe!

Blueberry & Almond Maple Fudge #recipe

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups good quality maple syrup
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup salted butter, cut into pieces
  • ¼ cup dried blueberries
  • ¼ cup whole almonds, toasted

Method

  1. Line the bottom and sides of a 8″x 8″ x (at least) 2″ deep pan with baking parchment, leaving about 2” overhang on both the long sides
  2. In a large, heavy saucepan bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 5 minutes, making sure to keep a very close watch as the syrup can rise quite a lot as it boils. If it starts to rise, lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds to allow the syrup to drop
  3. After 5 minutes, pour in the evaporated milk and without stirring (but you can swirl the pan) bring the mixture back to the boil, be careful in case it bubbles and rises again, and let it simmer until it reaches 236°F (Soft Ball stage) on a candy thermometer. This usually takes about 20 minutes. It may be tempting to walk away but DON’T!
  4. As soon as the mixture reaches that temperature, carefully remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter pieces to the pot but do not stir it in. Let the mixture cool for about 6 minutes
  5. Carefully transfer the mixture a stand mixture bowl, scraping using heat-proof spatula and using the paddle attachment beat for about 6-7 minutes on high speed, until the sugar mixture gets thicker and lighter in color. It may look like it has crystalized, or separated, but beat on nonetheless
  6. After the mixing time has passed fold in the dried blueberries and almonds
  7. Transfer the fudge to the prepared pan, spreading to the edges. You may need to work quickly here as the fudge will start to the firm up
  8.  Transfer to the fridge until completely set, about 2 to 3 hours
  9. Lift the fudge from the pan and cut into squares with a sharp knife. Dipping the knife into hot water and wiping dry between cuts helps to get smooth, clean cuts. The number of pieces will depend on the size of your cuts. I usually get 21-24 pieces
  10. Store in a cool dry place in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Best served at room temperature