Mince pie fudge recipe

Mince pies in sweetie form, with succulent sultanas and raisins and a delicate vanilla flavour.

This mince pie fudge is a soft, chewy treat. Perfect for making in batches and boxing up as a thoughtful Christmas gift. Fudge can be prone to drying out if it’s left in contact with air. So, to stop this from happening, wrap the individual squares in greaseproof paper, or you can buy coloured aluminum wrap online. Arrange the sweets in boxes or clear plastic bags, tied with a pretty bow. Because batch costs just £2 to cook up, and just like our classic mince pies recipe, it makes a great Christmas gift.

Ingredients

• 450g granulated sugar
• 85g butter
• 150ml milk
• 170g evaporated milk
• 150g mixed dried fruits, eg raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, mixed peel (larger pieces chopped)
• few drops of vanilla extract
• a little vegetable oil

You will also need

• Sugar thermometer (see tip)

Method

1. Tip the sugar, butter, milk and evaporated milk into a heavy-based pan and heat gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring the mixture to the boil, without stirring, and continue boiling until a temperature of 114ºC (237ºF) is reached on a sugar thermometer.
3. As the temperature rises, stir the fudge occasionally (be careful as the mixture will be very hot), so that the sugar doesn’t stick and burn. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mixed dried fruits and vanilla extract, and beat the mix with a wooden spoon until thickened.
4. Pour the fudge mixture into an 18cm shallow square tin brushed with a little vegetable oil. Leave for about 10-15 mins or until almost set. It will set quicker in the fridge.
5. Using a sharp knife, mark the fudge into 36 squares and leave to cool. Wrap in individually greaseproof paper for gifting.

Top tips for making mince pie fudge

If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, you can check the temperature of your fudge using the soft ball test. Drop a small amount of the fudge into a glass of very cold water. Perfect fudge will drop towards the bottom of the glass and form a soft ball that can be easily flattened between your fingers. If it’s underdone, the fudge will split into threads or dissolve. If it’s overdone it will harden or crack. 

For creamy a creamy texture all the way through the mince pie fudge, don't scrape the pan as you pour the mixture into the cooling tin. It's tempting to get all the fudge you can out of the pan but where the sugar sticks to the side of the pan it can crystallise and cause crunchy bits in the finished fudge.

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