Peanut Butter Fudge

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful recipe to have on hand when you've promised to contribute something to a bake sale and are running short of time. The recipe was developed by Alton Brown and it's a winner on several level, the most important being taste. The fudge is delicious. It is also extremely easy to make and can be prepared with peanut butter or Nutella. When things are this simple, there is one thing you should keep in mind. If you love to experiment, this is not the recipe for you. Measurements, especially the one for confectioners' sugar, needs be exact and you'll have a tragedy on your hands if you venture too far from the weights and measures listed in the ingredients list. It really is necessary to weigh the sugar or buy a pre-measured 1-pound box. In either case, the sugar should be sifted to eliminate lumps. The recipe is misleading in some respects. It uses words like pour, when scrape and pat are more appropriate and it neglects to tell you the paper used to line the pan must be buttered. The mixture is very hard to work with a spoon. I found there is a point at which it becomes easier to mix with immaculately clean, ringless hands and keep that your little secret. I certainly promise not to tell. This has proved to be an extremely popular recipe at the Food Network. Hundreds of people have made the fudge and you can read their comments here. Some of the responders have used soft margarine to achieve a candy with a softer fudge texture. The basic recipe produces 1-inch squares of fudge-like candy. I've found that the candy has enough body to be formed into balls which can then be rolled in chopped salted peanuts. The batch I made today was heading to a bake sale, so I stuck with the classic cube shape. I obviously prefer the peanut butter fudge balls. I hope you'll check the comments regarding this treat over at the Food Network. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter Fudge...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

Directions:
Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week. Yield: 64 1-inch pieces.

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