FOOD & DRINK

Treat your Valentine...

Irish cream fudge

This fudge makes a lovely gift. Wrap it in parchment and arrange in pretty boxes, or simply use a little cellophane and ribbon.

INGREDIENTS

397g can condensed milk 150ml whole milk 425g light brown soft sugar 115g unsalted butter 100ml Baileys The Original Irish Cream Large pinch of salt 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

METHOD

1. Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with parchment. Put the milks, sugar and butter in a large, nonstick saucepan and warm over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Put a sugar thermometer in the pan and turn up the heat a little, bringing the mixture to a moderate bubble. Stir continuously until the thermometer reaches 113-115°C or ‘soft-ball stage’ (this should take about 15 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. 2. Stir the Irish cream and salt into the mixture. Using electric beaters set to a medium speed, beat for about 10 minutes until you have a thick mixture that’s starting to come away from the sides of the pan. (You can also do this with a wooden spoon, beating for about 15 minutes.) Tip the mixture into the lined tin, spreading it out evenly. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for 1 hour. 3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Meanwhile, put a large sheet of baking parchment on the work surface. Turn out the fudge and trim the edges to neaten, then cut into squares about 3cm x 3cm. Dip ½ of each square of fudge in the chocolate. Leave to set on the parchment, chilling again briefly if needed.