St. Patrick's Day lands on a Friday this year, which means plenty of people are going to have one heck of a shamrock shakin' weekend!
And since everyone is a little bit Irish on March 17, this is the perfect week to share our irresistible recipe for Bailey's Irish Cream and Caramel Nut Fudge...
So let's get our fudge on!
Behold the large batch version of our fudge. 👆
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Cleo Coyle writes two bestselling mystery series with her husband. To learn more, click here. |
🍀 A NOTE FROM CLEO:
For years, Marc and I have enjoyed a splash of Baileys in our coffee. That's exactly why this recipe pairs so beautifully with coffee or Irish breakfast tea.
This sophisticated take on old-fashioned caramel-nut fudge makes an impressive offering for party trays and a crowd pleasing after-dinner treat.
Our readers may remember this fudge from one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mysteries Billionaire Blend. Our amateur sleuth (coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi) used this very fudge to bribe a New York Police Department Bomb Squad lieutenant into sharing information with her after a car bomb goes off in front of her coffeehouse, an attempt on the life of a customer within. And so begins our caffeinated mystery and Clare's intrepid sleuthing.
In the story, Clare makes her fudge in an 8-inch-square pan and cuts it into bite-sized pieces for the lieutenant’s crew. If you’re planning it for a party, however, this larger batch version fits the bill, because there’s nothing like a wee nip of edible joy to ignite a celebration.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. May you eat (and drink) with shamrock joy!
🍀 🍀 🍀
~ Cleo
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Irish Cream Fudge
Makes one 9 x 13-inch pan
For a small batch, divide ingredients
in half and use an 8-inch square pan.
in half and use an 8-inch square pan.
Ingredients:
Bring to a Roiling boil for 7 full Minutes:
1-1/3 cup evaporated milk (a bit less than 12-oz can)
2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt (do not substitute table salt)
On the heat stir in:
4 cups mini marshmallows (about 2/3 of a 10-oz bag)
Off the heat, stir in:
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup,
which is simply flavored corn syrup)
1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups white chocolate chips (16 ounces by weight)
1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans + 1/3 cup more chopped nuts for topping
DIRECTIONS:
1-1/3 cup evaporated milk (a bit less than 12-oz can)
2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt (do not substitute table salt)
On the heat stir in:
4 cups mini marshmallows (about 2/3 of a 10-oz bag)
Off the heat, stir in:
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup,
which is simply flavored corn syrup)
1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups white chocolate chips (16 ounces by weight)
1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans + 1/3 cup more chopped nuts for topping
DIRECTIONS:
IMPORTANT TIP: Assemble and measure out your ingredients beforehand because you will be adding them quickly to a hot pan. Toasted nuts are so much more delicious than raw, and they're easy to make. See directions in the caption below.
 |
| To toast nuts, simply preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread your roughly chopped nuts on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once to prevent scorching. |
PREP PAN: Line a 13 x 9-inch pan completely with parchment paper as you see in my photo below. Allow the paper to extend beyond at least 2 sides to create a sling with handles. This will allow you to lift the fudge easily from the pan.
Now for the Fudge...
Step 1 – Into a large saucepan (5 quarts, at least; nonstick is best but not necessary), measure out the evaporated milk, brown and white sugars, butter, and salt. Place the mixture over medium heat and occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning. Watch for it to come to a full, rolling boil. Set the timer for 7 minutes and begin to stir constantly.
(If you wish to use a candy thermometer, the temperature you want to reach after 7 minutes of boiling is 235 degrees F., this is the soft ball stage.)
 |
Beginning to boil, but not yet ready... |
 |
| This is what a full, rolling boil looks like. Start the 7 minute timer now... |
Step 2 – At the 7 minute mark (or 235 degrees F. on a candy thermometer), add in your mini marshmallows, a little at a time, stirring between each addition to melt them. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, Baileys Irish Cream, and finally the vanilla extract (the vanilla should not be added to boiling liquid or the flavor may be destroyed). Now add the white chocolate chips and stir until melted. Finally fold in 1 cup of the toasted chopped pecans (or walnuts).
Step 3 - Pour fudge batter into your prepared pan...
Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans across the top to decorate. Allow the fudge to cool completely, without any covering, at room temperature.
COOLING TIP: Do not cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap until the fudge has completely cooled; otherwise, steam will condense and your fudge will become soggy. Once the fudge is room temperature, loosely cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap or foil and place the pan in the refrigerator, chilling until firm. Remove your pan from the fridge and lift the fudge out of the pan using the parchment paper handles.
TO STORE: If not serving all at once, slice only as much as you need, then rewrap the fudge block tightly in plastic and place back in the fridge. It will keep this way for up to three weeks.
BAILEYS BUYING NOTE: If you’re not a big drinker, simply buy 3 mini-bar bottles of Baileys. Inexpensive, single-serving bottles come in sizes of 50 milliliters, and 3 bottles will allow you to measure out the amount needed for this recipe.
Eat (and drink) with joy!
🔎
Don't Miss Our New
Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries...
Coming May 2023
🔎
Don't Miss Our New
Haunted Bookshop
Mysteries...
Coming May 2023
"A BEST READ OF 2022"
~ Lori Caswell, Escape with
Dollycas into a Good Book
The Ghost and the Stolen Tears
Our 8th Haunted Bookshop Mystery!
"A GEM OF A STORY"
~ Kirkus Reviews
TO BUY:
And Our LatestCoffeehouse MysteryNow on Sale!
Learn More or Buy at:
Cleo Coyle’s Honey Roasted
is not only a coffee lover's mystery.
It's a culinary mystery with a tempting
menu of delicious recipes!
Click here or on the image (above)
for Cleo Coyle's Free Recipe Guide
to HONEY ROASTED
"A BEST READ OF 2022"
~ Lori Caswell, Escape withDollycas into a Good Book
Our 8th Haunted Bookshop Mystery!
"A GEM OF A STORY"
~ Kirkus Reviews
TO BUY:
And Our Latest
Coffeehouse Mystery
Now on Sale!
Learn More or Buy at:
Cleo Coyle’s Honey Roasted
is not only a coffee lover's mystery.
It's a culinary mystery with a tempting
menu of delicious recipes!
Click here or on the image (above)
for Cleo Coyle's Free Recipe Guide
to HONEY ROASTED