Fudges can be great to experiment with because there are so many different flavours you can add in.  When making fudge, make sure that you stir gently so that you can get the correct texture.  Normally you'll use granulated sugar however brown sugar also work well for nut fudges.  You can also use evaporated, condensed or fresh milk however evaporated milk will give you a creamier flavour.  If you are using sweetened condensed milk then you need to dilute it so that it's the same strength and consistency as regular milk.

The mixture should normally be cooked to a temperature of 238 F or until a little bit of the hot mixture forms a soft ball if dropped into cold water.  As soon as you see the mixture start to thicken you should pour it out onto the tin - please make sure that you don't allow the fudge to set whilst in the saucepan.

Vanilla Fudge

1/2 pint of evaporated milk
1 lb of granulated sugar
1 1/2 oz of butter
A few drops of vanilla essence

Put the milk, sugar and butter in a strong pan and heat gently until the sugar starts to dissolve, then bring the pan to the boil.  Allow to boil and stir gently then heat to a temperature of 238 F.  Remove the pan from the heat and add a few drops of essence.  Beat thoroughly until the mixture starts to thicken and then pour the mixture out onto a greased tin.  When it is cold and firm you can then cut it into squares with a knife.

Chocolate Walnut Fudge

1 lb of granulated sugar
1/2 pint of evaporated milk
1 oz of plain chocolate
2 tablespoons of cocoa
1 oz of butter
A pinch of salt
4 oz of chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
Nuts to decorate

Put all of the ingredients (except the nuts and the essence) into a pan and bring to a temperature of 238 F, keep stirring to prevent the mixture from burning.  Take the pan off the heat and add the essence and chopped nuts, beating well so that the mixture becomes thick and creamy.  Pour it out onto a greased tin and place pieces of walnut at regular intervals over the surface to decorate and then leave it to set.  Cut the fudge into squares when cold.

Orange Fudge

1 1/4 lb granulated sugar
1/3 pint of evaporated milk
2 oz of butter
2 teaspoons of grated orange rind
2 tablespoons of orange juice.

Put the sugar and milk into a sturdy pan over a moderate heat and stir occasionally until dissolved.  Add the butter, orange rind and juice and then stir gently while bringing the temperature to 238 F.  Remove from the heat and beat until it is the consistency of thick cream and pour into an oiled tin.  When it is just about cold, you can then cut it into squares.

It's funny how marzipan can really divide a room in terms of who likes it and who loathes it.  If you are the sort of person who loves marzipan then here are some quick and fun ideas that you can try out.  Of course, if you don't have the time to make the marzipan from scratch you can always buy a block from the supermarket!

Unboiled Marzipan

1 lb of ground almonds
4 oz of castor sugar
4 oz of sieved icing sugar
Juice of small lemon
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 egg white
Colouring

Mix up the dry ingredients and make a well in the center so that you can add the flavourings.  Make sure you use enough egg white so that the mixture can become a soft and dry paste.  If desired, you can need in any colouring.

Mock Marzipan

3 oz of butter
4 oz of sugar
 1/8 pint of water
Almond essence
6 oz of soya flour

Place the butter, sugar and water into a pan and allow to boil whilst stirring and then remove from the heat.  Add in a few drops of the essence and stir in the soya flour, little by little.  Turn it out onto a board.  If you need to you can add in more essence and then kneed it evenly.  Roll it out as desired.

Stuffed Dates

Dassert dates
Marzipan (coloured if you wish)
Nuts or glace cherries (if desired)

Take the stones out of the dates  and place some marzipan in the gap, the marzipan of course should be rolled out to the correct shape before placing in the date.  If you like, you can also place an almond, cherry or piece of walnut on top.  You can also roll the dates in castor sugar.

Neapolitan Bars

Marzipan
Colourings
Icing sugar
Egg white

Divide the marzipan into three equal portions and knead a different colour (eg pink, yellow and white) into each.  Roll them out onto a board that is well covered with icing sugar.  You need to cut them into strips measuring 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick.  Place the 4 or 5 strips on top of each other.  Make sure they alternate in color and brush each layer with egg white before adding the next layer.  Press the layers together and wrap them in greaseproof paper.  Put them in a cold place so that they become firm.  Then cut them into whatever shape you like, for example squares or triangles.

Marzipan Cherries

Marzipan
Glace cherries

Divide the marzipan into equally sized parts and then form them into strips.  You then use these strips to wrap around the cherries, making sure the top of the cherry shows.  Allow them to become fairly firm. 

Another idea is to cut the cherries up into small pieces and mix them into the marzipan.  Then form them into little balls and allow them to become firm.

Most people in the world love oranges.  They are so tasty and can be made into so many different dishes.   Here is a recipe for a basic but yummy orange sandwich.

Orange Sandwich Recipe

6 oz of self-raising flour
4 oz of margarine
4 oz of caster sugar
3 eggs
Grated rind of an orange

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Then well-grease 2 sandwich tins that are about 7 x 1 inches.  Sieve the flour, cream the margarine and sugar so that it's light and fluffy.  Add in the egg little by little along with the flour, clearing well after each addition.  Add in the orange rind and mix well prior to adding the rest of the flour.  Mix lightly by thoroughly until it's smooth and clear.  Pour it out into the tins and make sure the mixture is spread out evenly.  Then bake it near the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes.  When it's cooled down, you can place the sponge sandwich together with some orange cream then finish off with orange glacé icing.

Orange Cream Recipe

3 oz of unsalted margarine
4 1/2 oz of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of orange juice
1 teaspoon of grated orange rind

Cream the margarine and sieved icing sugar until light.  Add in the rind and juice then mix thoroughly.

Orange Glacé Icing Recipe

12 oz of icing sugar
1 teaspoon orange rind
Orange juice

Sieve the sugar into a basin and add in the orange rind.  Slightly warm the orange juice and add in a sufficient amount to make it a fairly thick coating.


Interesting Info About Oranges

For many people, oranges are a major source of vitamin C and lots of people enjoy drinking orange juice.  However you should also remember to eat the segments of oranges too so that you can get the benefit of the fibre which is important too.  In addition to vitamin c and fibre, you can also enjoy the benefits of potassium, folic acid, thiamine plus a small amount of calcium and magnesium.

It's believed that orange trees originated from S.E. Asia and it was apparently Columbus who brought the seeds back to the United States.  It used to be that oranges were pretty expensive because it's was very difficult to grow in colder climates however they are now one of the most popular fruits to be grown today.  In the US they are mainly grown in Florida, Arizona and California.