White Chocolate and Ras el Hanout Fudge

Serves 64 squares
45 MINS

I love fudge and can't help but have a piece if I see it. Ras el hanout is a North African spice mix with a fragrant undertone, which works really well with the sweet white chocolate. Serve the fudge in small pieces with coffee after a meal or make as a gift.

Dessert
Marcus' Kitchen

Ingredients

Serves 64 squares

  • 340g caster sugar
  • 120g liquid glucose
  • 120g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing
  • 150ml double cream
  • 150ml whipping cream
  • 50g good-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar
  • 2 tsp ras el hanout
  • pinch of sea salt

Method

Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Combine the sugar, glucose, butter and both creams in a large heavy-based saucepan. Place over low heat and cook very gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring, to allow the butter to melt and the mixture to become smooth.

Continue to cook on a steady heat for 15-17 minutes, stirring it regularly to prevent it catching and burning on the bottom of the pan, as it gradually reduces and thickens, changing in colour from creamy and milky to a pale golden toffee colour the closer it comes to turning into fudge.

The level will start to drop in the pan. If you have a sugar thermometer, the fudge is ready when it reaches 118C.

Once cooked, remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth, leave for 5 minutes and the top will start to set. Beat the mixture again until smooth; repeat these steps twice more. Eventually, the mixture will thicken as it is cooling down. On the second and third time of beating, you'll notice it has become very thick around the edge of the pan so you'll need to beat this into the middle of the mixture. By the third beating, the mixture will be holding its shape more and will look fudgy, and you'll see the base of the pan too. Transfer the fudge to the lined baking tin and press it flat, then put into the fridge for 2-3 hours to set completely.

Once set, cut into bite-sized pieces.

The fudge will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks in a cool place (in the fridge if you want to keep it longer). Remove from the fridge a while before eating, as it's best not eaten fridge-cold.

Find more Marcus Wareing recipes in his latest cookbook, Marcus' Kitchen.