I guess it's safe to say that I'm boring. When other people are out celebrating New Year's Eve, I am at home making fudge. Delicious fudge, but go figure. I came across the recipe for buttermilk fudge last Christmas and had to try it. Although it was my first attempt at fudge, I think it came out pretty well last year, though a bit soft.
I had forgotten about the fudge this year, but was reminded several times by family members at Thanksgiving so I promised to make it again. I made a double batch of the fudge this time, but the timing wasn't the same as the recipe because of the larger volume. I also had a little trouble getting the temperature to soft ball stage, but it eventually got there. The fudge is sugary on the outside, gooey on the inside, and tastes just like pralines. If you like pralines you must try this fudge, and if you do let me know!
Buttermilk Fudgefrom Southern Living
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 Tb. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Butter the sides of a heavy saucepan or dutch oven (4-5 qt). Add the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda to the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly about 18 minutes or until the candy thermometer reads 236 degrees F (soft ball stage). Remove from heat and let rest, undisturbed, until the temperature has dropped to 180 degrees, about 15 minutes. Add in the vanilla and nuts if using (I prefer pecans). Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and loses its gloss. Pour quickly into a buttered loaf pan. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack and cut into 1 inch pieces. Yields 1.25 lb.
So, for my first official food post I decided to post something as a nod to my blog name. When I first decided to name my blog Cakes and Shakes, I was expecting to put a good number of cake related posts, but not so much about shakes. Don't get me wrong, I love shakes, I just don't eat them very often.
With that said, let me introduce you to Sonic's newest addition to their blast lineup: red velvet cheesecake blast! I hadn't seen any advertisements for it until my sister and I were driving past our local Sonic and saw it in big bold letters. As a self-professed red velvet aficionado, I knew that I would have to try it. Red velvet and cheesecake blended into ice cream, how could you go wrong?
Well the answer is, you can't. If you're willing to splurge a bit, this shake is definitely worth it. Although it doesn't taste exactly like red velvet cake, it's pretty much as close as you're going to get in a milkshake. As for the cheesecake part of the blast, I was at first a little skeptical. Sometimes I've found that "cheesecake pieces" taste fake, almost chemically, so I was worried that this would be the same way, but it wasn't. The pieces added a nice texture to the super thick, spoon only shake (the best type in my opinion) and they tasted like actual cheesecake. My only complaint would be that the regular sized blast is too large, I could've done with less of it as it's incredibly rich. If you happen to pass by a Sonic sometime soon, the red velvet blast is definitely worth getting. As if the picture isn't proof enough!!
It's my very first blog post! I'd been thinking about making a blog for several months now, and I finally found time to make one. The focus (I think) of my blog will be baking: what I bake, what I want to bake, what others are baking, etc. I think I also want to include things like product, restaurant, and dessert reviews, as well as my opinion on what tastes good.
Although my blog is called cakes and shakes, I want it to be about more than just those two things. (Honestly, I got the name because it was the cutest one that wasn't taken yet.) I've never done a blog before and I'm still trying to figure this all out, but I hope that you enjoy my postings and leave lots of comments. If you have a blog, follow me so you'll know what's up with me and what I'm baking/eating. Thanks so much for visiting!
