Aussie Readers discussion

I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard crumbly type. I've heard that condensed milk is the secret ingredient. Does anyone have a good recipe??

I have a really good recipe for chocolate fudge. It is at home of course I'll dig it up for you tonight. I have a picture of the last batch my daughter and I made.

Looks very yummy Gail! Exactly what I want.:)

in case you were considering sending her a PM, please don't - post the recipe here please!

No problem at all. Well it is a problem as I am restricted to using my phone until Monday. I promise to post the recipe then. My Daughter and I had been experimenting with various fudge recipes for a while. It took quite a few attempts before we found one we were happy with. Glad to share the joy around. :)

Mandy wrote: "I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard crumbly type. I'v..."

Hi Mandy
I'm new to this (or any) group so hope I am posting right.
We use this Fudge recipe all the time. Easy and yummy

375g Milk Choc
200g dark choc
1 tin Condensed milk
125 g Margarine

Microwave on medium for 2 mins
Stir
Microwave medium 2 -3 mins and stir again
Put in slice tin in fridge when melted and mixes together

Enjoy! I will be interested to see Gail's recipe and might try that one as well!
Rhiann

hmm - I forgot y'all use metric weight recipes - I'll have to do some calculations to American - and to be sure I must ask, what size tin does condensed milk come in for you? And do you mean sweetened-condensed? Not evaporated, right? Though I see that it's cooked in the microwave, which will make it easy to fix if it doesn't seem right as I'm going along...

Rhiann wrote: "Mandy wrote: "I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard cru..."

Thanks Rhiann (and my Dad thanks you too)! It sounds like a really simple recipe and very delicious. I'll definitely try it.

P.S. Congratulations on your first post on Goodreads!!;D

Cheryl when refering to condensed milk it is the sweetened-condensed-milk. When I was looking at my recipe it also contained 1 tin of Condensed milk. I wondered if I was going to have to try and explain to you what it was. :)

I just checked in the pantry I don't have any on hand so I can't tell you how much is in a tin. I'll also check that out for you, unless someone else comes up with the answer first.

Thanks folks!!

Mandy wrote: "I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard crumbly type. I'v..."

Hi Mandy, this is a recipe I make every Xmas, used to make it much more often when the kids were young...
CHOC FUDGE RECIPE
1 x 375g Nestle Choc Melts (Milk)
1 x Tin Condensed Milk
1/4 cup butter/Marg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
METHOD: Place first 3 ingredients in microwave safe jug/bowl, and m/wave on MED HIGH for 2 minutes. (Do not over melt in m/wave or choc will burn). Stir WELL, until mixture comes away from side of jug/bowl. Add walnuts and stir. Pour into well greased container, and set in freezer (if in a hurry to eat it!) for 1/2 hour, or min 2 hours in the fridge.
It is DELICIOUS!!!! I have a quick, easy rocky road recipe too, if anyone is interested. Also a recipe for Individual Xmas puddings, which I also do every Xmas. :)

Brenda wrote: "Mandy wrote: "I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard cru..."

Sounds delish!! I'm sure I wouldn't be alone in wanting your rocky road or Xmas pudding recipes either Brenda!:D

OK guys!
ROCKY ROAD
2 x 375g pkt milk choc (Nestle) melts
1 x large pkt tiny cooking marshmallows
1 x small pkt crushed nuts
2 x turkish delight (choc's)
METHOD
Melt chocolate in microwave jug/bowl for 3-4mins on MEDIUM HIGH. Add marshmallows, nuts and roughly chopped turkish delights, stir all ingredients together. Pour into greased slice container, then set in freezer for 1/2 hour, or fridge for min of 1 hour. ENJOY!

INDIVIDUAL CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS
1 x fruit cake (I buy woolies homebrand, either light or dark)
1/2 cup sherry or brandy
1 x 375g white choc melts (Nestle)
glace cherries (green & red)
(I use jelly babies as we don't like glace cherries, and use only the red & green ones)
METHOD
Crumble the fruit cake into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sherry/brandy. Roll into small balls in your hands (about walnut size), and place into a slice container. Melt the white choc in M/Wave bowl/jug for 2 mins on MEDIUM HIGH. With a teaspoon, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the puddings, and decorate with pre-prepared cherries/jelly babies (like holly) immediately. Set in fridge for a min of 1hour.
Absolutely yummy! All three of those recipes have been a hit over the years, and they are so quick and easy.

Hey, Carmel...if I can 'cook' them, you sure can....:)

Brenda wrote: "Mandy wrote: "I want to make my Dad some home-made chocolate fudge for Xmas. It's his favourite treat. I've never made it before and I want it to turn out a little bit moist not the really hard cru..."

Thank so much to Brenda and Rhiann for their great recipes. I look forward to trying them out as soon as I buy the ingredients. Laurel

What would we do in this country without sweetened condensed milk? Anyone like Coconut Ice?

1 tin condensed milk
4 and 1/4 cups dessicated coconut
3 and 1/3 cups icing sugar

Put the coconut and icing sugar in a BIG bowl, slowly add the cond. milk, stirring with a wooden spoon (or whatever!) as you go. The mixture will be pretty stiff.
Divide it in half, colour one half pink with cochineal and leave one half white. (Actually you can make it any colour you like, it's just tradition it's pink and white.) Press the pink half into a big flat cake tin, then the white half on top of it, sprinkle some more coconut over it if you like. Cut it into squares and put it in the fridge for about an hour. When you take it out you'll probably have to cut them again but it's DELICIOUS.

And Mandy, if your dad likes a good stiff drink as well, here's the outback recipe called "The Diamantina Cocktail" (Diamantina after the river, the river after the first governor of Qld's wife, Lady Roma Diamantina Bowen.)

1 tin sweetened condensed milk
1 bottle Bundy (Bundaberg Rum to OS members)
1 emu egg (er, illegal)

Just mix 'em up...

Monya wrote: "What would we do in this country without sweetened condensed milk? Anyone like Coconut Ice?..."

Thanks Monya! I've always wanted to know how to make coconut ice! I'm set for my niece's school fete now!:) Actually I have a good recipe for that chocolate slice you always buy at the fetes:

Chocolate Coconut Slice
1 1/2 cups plain flour sifted
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
250g butter, melted, cooled
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups dessicated coconut

Chocolate Icing
2 cups pure icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
60g butter melted
2-3 tbsps hot water

Preheat oven to 180c. Grease and line a slice tray with baking paper. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups coconut in a large bowl. Press evenly over base of tray. Bake for 15-20 mins or until skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in pan.
Make Icing: Sift icing sugar and cocao into bowl. Add butter and 2 tbsps hot water. Stir until smooth, adding more water if necessary. Spread evenly over cooled slice. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut. Stand at room temp until set. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Great topic gang! I'm drooling from 1/2 a world away!

Okay this is my choc fudge recipe my apologies for the delay. :D

Chocolate Fudge Recipe

2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Butter
2/3 cup Sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2cup marshmallows
2 c milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup Chopped walnuts
1 ts Vanilla

Line 30x20cm pan with foil so that foil extends over sides of pan; butter foil. In large saucepan, combine sugar, butter and condensed milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add marshmallow and chocolate chips; blend until smooth. Stir in walnuts and vanilla. Pour into buttered, foil-lined pan. Cool to room temperature. Score fudge into 36-48 squares. Refrigerate until firm.
Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil; remove foil from sides of fudge. Using large knife, cut through scored lines. Store in refrigerator.

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Okay this is my choc fudge recipe my apologies for the delay. :D..."

That looks decadently rich Gail!! Can't wait to try it out.:D

I think I'll be posting a photo in this thread of me and my family with chocolate all over our faces. LOL!

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Okay this is my choc fudge recipe my apologies for the delay. :D

And it's in American!! I think I'll get my son to help after school.... :)

So Mandy was the fudge a failure?

Oh No, I haven't cooked it yet. I'll probably do it closer to Christmas so it's fresh for the lucky few who;ll be getting it in their stockings!;D

Mandy wrote: "Oh No, I haven't cooked it yet. I'll probably do it closer to Christmas so it's fresh for the lucky few who;ll be getting it in their stockings!;D"

Haha Mandy! You should be making it now, to 'test' it, then you can make it again when it's a success!!! You gotta try new things first you know...:)

That is what I though Mandy was doing. It's a bit risky leaving it to the last minute. I have had a number of failed fudge attempts.

Brenda wrote: "Mandy wrote: "Oh No, I haven't cooked it yet. I'll probably do it closer to Christmas so it's fresh for the lucky few who;ll be getting it in their stockings!;D"
Haha Mandy! You should be making i..."

OK ladies you've convinced me. I'll give it a try tomorrow morning.:D

Does anyone have a great recipe for a potato bake? You know the one where you slice up the potato with garlic, cream etc and bake in the oven. A friend used to always bring her version to barbeques but would not divulge the recipe. I have lost track with her as her son moved to a different school.

Gail, I don't have access to my recipes, but I know there is one that sounds like that on the packet mix from the supermarket. Maybe you could check that out..:)

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Does anyone have a great recipe for a potato bake? You know the one where you slice up the potato with garlic, cream etc and bake in the oven. A friend used to always bring her version to barbeques..."

My mum has a great recipe for potato bake that she's been making for years. It's always the most popular dish at any party. I'll post it tomorrow after I talk to her. But Gail the calorie count on potato bake is enormous!!!! Beware.:)

Potatoes are off the menu for me at the moment. Thanks for the warning. :)
I have some friends coming over for lunch Sunday so would like to do a potato bake for them. Thank you so much, in anticipation of your mum's recipe. It sounds exactly what I need.

Here's Mum's recipe. She has just 'guesstimated' the measurements because she hasn't had a written recipe for years.

Potato Bake
6 largish potatoes
About 3 cups grated tasty cheese (more if needed)
1 onion thinly sliced
1 large bottle of Pauls thickened cream (I think the large bottle has about 500mls in it)

Parboil potatoes (around 10 mins) and let cool enough to handle
Thinly slice potatoes (maybe around 1/2 cm thick)

Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of a large rectangular oven proof dish
Cover with a layer of onion
Then a layer of grated cheese
Small sprinkle of pepper + salt

Continue layering until the dish is nearly full, finishing with a layer of cheese.

Then pour cream over top of potatoes, zig-zagging across so it covers most of dish.

Cook on High for maybe 1/2 hour or until well browned on top.

Variation
My sister uses low fat cheese and also replaces some of the potato with sweet potato.

Perfect. I'll try it out this weekend.

I suddenly want Potato Bake and I'm not eating spuddies at the moment :(

Carmel wrote: "Mandy, OMG that sounds delicious and oh so naughty;) *checks out how many laps I'll need to do at the the pool to work off*"

I think you need around 50 laps for this recipe!! ;)

Hahaha. Yummy, potato bake!

Hahaha!!! Love that movie!!

Well cyborg, I hope your guests aren't on diets! :)

Guests aren't allowed to be on a diet. That would be rude. :)

Oh Gail...hahaha!!! :)

In my home town in the south-western slopes and plains of New South Wales there is a writers' group which is an offshoot of the book club (of which I am a member) and at their show-and-tell some weeks ago in the library, Sheila, a very nice woman who comes from Yorkshire, read out a piece she'd written about her memories of childhood Christmases and in it she mentioned the tantalising smell of fadgees proving and being baked. Her grandmother, the baker of the family, is long dead and Sheila doesn't have the recipe. I can only find scant references to fadgees on the internet and the most detailed is an extract from a book:
An Evacuee's Story a North Yorkshire Family in Wartime By John T. Wright

"A month later Archie celebrated his fourteenth birthday with a small tea party and his mother (my Gran) travelled through from Middlesborough bringing with her sweets and a tin full of delicious homemade cakes and 'fadgees'. Gran's home-made fadgees (bread buns) had a lovely flavour – the likes of which I have not come across since."

I like to bake bread and would love to find a recipe for fadgees and have a go.

Never heard of fadgies before Dianne. I couldn't find a recipe on the internet either. I posted a question on the ask.com website so maybe someone will answer. I'll let you know!:)

Thanks for your interest. I should have gone down the ask.com trail. I think the spelling may be variable but I've seen it as "fadgees" a few times and twice on a football chat, one in WA, where the quote was something like "lobbly, mopping up the gravy with fadgees". This could be inaccurate. All the Yorkshire food sites only seem to have Yorkshire pud. It's out there somewhere. Here's hoping.

I found a recepie for them- http://search.catflaporama.com/post/b...

But google corrected my spelling and said it was spelt like "fadgies". So, I might be wrong but it seems the same.

I also found a better recepie-

2lbs strong plain flour
3 level tsp. salt
3 oz. margarine
1.5 oz fresh yeast or 3 level tsp. dried yeast ( fresh is best)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 pint tepid water - (not too hot)
1/2 pint milk
This makes 3 1/4 lbs of risen dough. The quantity of the liquid differs according to the elasticity of the dough, it has to be firm but pliable, not too stiff.

Preparation:

1. Mix the flour and salt together and rub in the margarine.

2. Mix the yeast and sugar into the water, stirring until the yeast dissolves: If you use dry yeast mix the yeast and sugar into the water and leave until the yeast has dissolved and frothing.

3. Make a little hole in the centre of the flour and add the water stirring with your hands working into a firm dough.

4. Knead well until the dough is smooth and shiny. If the dough is a little soft more flour may be added, kneading (up to 2 oz.) but it is difficult to add water if the dough is too firm so just sprinkle the extra flour if needed.

5. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead until the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and shiny.

6. Lightly grease a dish and place dough in it, cover with a teatowel and leave to rise in a warm place until it is twice the size, or you could put it in a large plastic bag.

7. When risen turn onto floured board and knead lightly to let out the air and to make the dough pliable again. Cut the sizes of dough to the size of the flatties you want. Put a hole in the middle of the flattie after rolling it out to the size and depth you want and with a fork make a few stabs, (not too many) place them on a baking sheet and put in oven near the top. Bake at 425 F or gas 220 C. for 12 to 15 minutes. it may take a little longer but don't leave in too long. Test with a fork - if they come out clean they're done

http://search.catflaporama.com/post/b...

Also this is what they look like- http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkvdw/...

Many, many thanks Laura for the recipe and the photo. They way they are shaped is exactly how my friend from the book club described. In my investigations, I should have been a little more flexible about the spelling. Bravo and thanks again. Fadgies (fadgees?) coming up!

@Diane- No worries :) Glad to have helped! Must say the name had me very curious as to what they were..lol

Laura wrote: "@Diane- No worries :) Glad to have helped! Must say the name had me very curious as to what they were..lol"

Well done Laura!

High Fives Laura

I just got an email to say that someone had answered my question about the fadgie recipe! I haven't used that ask.com website before so it's nice to know how helpful people are!:)

"Here is a recipe for a fadgie but keep in mind that the ingredient measurements are for the UK. You will need 675g white bread flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbs lard, 2 1/2 tsp dried yeast, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 400ml warm water. Mix the flour and salt then rub in the lard. Mix together the yeast,sugars, and half of the water and when it becomes frothy add it to the flour then add water until you have a firm dough. Knead the dough until it is pliable and bake at 450 degrees until golden."

Wow, i never knew ask.com ppl actually responded in such a short amount of time..that is really cool!

And great to compare the recipies as well :D!