Receta Root Beer Float Fudge...
For me, it seems only fitting that after writing about Paula-Butter-Bacon-Deen and diabetes and how moderation is the key, that I post this recipe. Because one day I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR and the next I'm a diabetic making fudge - that's how I roll...but... moderation IS the key, along with exercise, a balanced diet and in my case, a slew of prescribed medications! IF I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, eating right and exercising, and IF I decide that I want to have a piece of fudge, then by golly, I want REAL fudge...not some low-fat-fake-sugar-filled impostor! And while this fudge barely clings to the real fudge category, it's a nice reward after jarring jumping-jacks, an hour walk in freezing rain, a lunch of rabbit food and swallowing a handful of pills that are supposed to make me healthy!
Several of you asked why I don't make "diabetic-friendly-food." Let me try to explain...for Diabetics, food is a numbers game. Like all good diabetics, I test my blood...if my numbers are low enough I can eat what I want. If my numbers are too high, then I can't eat fudge. (I like to think of myself as a "practicing diabetic" because I practice being a good diabetic every day. However, I've never quite achieved perfection in this category. Some days are better than others. Some days I'm a "recovering diabetic", recovering from whatever it was that I ate that almost made me blind...and other days I'm like an addict in need of a fix...just one bite of fudge and I'll promise to be good tomorrow! Like the alcoholic who abstains from booze, as long as I abstain from sugar it's all good - so much easier to say than to do! Paula-Butter-Bacon-Deen once said, "I'm your cook, I'm not your doctor." And I agree with that 100%...I make what I want, eat what I can, according to my test results, and am not about to tell anyone what they can or can't eat - which is why I don't write a diabetic blog. There are some great blogs written specifically for diabetics and if you're looking for low-fat, low-carb, heart-liver-kidney-healthy meals, you won't necessarily find them here. But what you will find is dang-good food, that, if eaten in moderation, will not harm any internal organ or cause your doctor to ban you from this site.
When I make this, or any other sweet treat, I usually give most of it away...I can only abstain for so long...I am a human-diabetic! My friend Elizabeth sent me a plate of this delicious fudge - the root beer layer is what makes this so different and so good. If you're a fan of root beer then you'll love this as much as me. The bottom layer is white chocolate, the "float" part of the fudge...it's refreshing and creamy good...it will remind you of the last time you sat in a lawn chair in the back yard after a family barbecue sipping root beer out of a straw and spooning ice cream into your float-hole. This makes a 9x13-inch pan of fudge...enough to share with family and friends, to give as gifts to fudge-worthy people, with enough pieces left over to satisfy a practicing diabetic who has promised herself she'll do ten more minutes on the treadmill for every piece she eats!
- Root Beer Float Fudge - Adapted From Elizabeth Grayson and Aimee at Shugary Sweets
- 3 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups white chocolate, coarsely chopped or white chocolate chips/morsels**
- 1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream
- 3 teaspoons root beer concentrate
**I used Callebaut white chocolate, which has a very creamy texture and actually tastes like chocolate, and is not at all waxy like some white chocolate. It is a bit pricey ($6.50 per pound) and for this recipe I used 2 lbs. worth of Callebaut chips and Callebaut curls to equal the 3 cups needed. (Since I didn't have enough chips I added in the curls which I had purchased to use as a decoration on a cake that never got made!) I purchased Callebaut from The Chocolate Man in Lake Forest Park, WA. You can also find this chocolate on-line or in specialty stores. There is such a difference in taste that I thought it was worth the price...but that's just because I have no problem eating expensive fudge when I'm a diabetic on the way to the poor house. That's the kind of gal I am!)
If you are using a block of white chocolate, have it chopped and ready to go before you begin making the fudge. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment or waxed paper, allowing to hang over sides. In a large saucepan over medium-heat, combine sugar, butter, salt and cream. Bring to a boil and stir continuously for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and quickly stir in chocolate pieces and marshmallow cream. Using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until smooth and the chocolate is melted and there are no streaks. Pour half of this mixture into parchment-lined pan.
Working quickly, add root beer concentrate to the remaining fudge in the pan. Stir until combined and there are not streaks. Pour the root beer fudge over the white fudge. Use an off-set knife to smooth fudge over the top. I liked having the two distinct layers but if you want you can use a knife to swirl them together. Refrigerate for 4 hours. To cut, lift fudge out of the pan using the parchment. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Makes about 80 pieces of fudge, depending on what size you cut them.