Peanut butter fudge

Method

1. Line a 13cm x 18cm baking dish or tin with cling film so it overhangs the edges. Fill the sink with cold water.
2. Put all the ingredients in a large heavy-based saucepan and heat very gently, without stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved – take your time and make sure all the grains are melted, otherwise the fudge won’t be smooth. Use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sides of the pan and dissolve any stray sugar crystals – if left they may cause the sugar syrup to crystallise during cooking.
3. Bring the mixture to the boil and bubble (see tip), stirring constantly to ensure the mixture isn’t catching on the base, until it reaches 116°C on a sugar or digital probe thermometer. Otherwise, drop 1 tsp of the mix into a bowl of cold water and bring it together with your fingers – it should form a soft ball.
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4. When the fudge has reached this soft-ball stage, immediately plunge the base of the pan into the sink of cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the pan to a cold work surface and leave to stand for 5 minutes – it’s important to do this, otherwise the texture of the fudge will become crumbly.
5. Beat the fudge mixture with an electric hand mixer for 5-10 minutes until very thick, then quickly tip it into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Leave to set at room temperature.
6. When completely cold, cut the fudge into squares or bars.