Do opposites really attract?
Apart from the obvious difference in genders, I think that my boyfriend and I are pretty much the same person. Or maybe we have just morphed into a hybrid of ourselves after a couple of years together.
It's good in some ways. We have exactly the same attitudes towards, for example, what we want to do with our holidays. Give us a book, a bed in the sun by a pool and a cocktail and we're both happy as can be. We almost always agree on what to have for dinner. Or what to do at the weekend. Or what to watch on TV (with the exception of Cowboy Builders which I just can't seem to interest him in).
We even do similar jobs although I feel compelled to point out that the one argument we've had in recent months has been about the application of International Financial Reporting Standards. Yes, we are pretty cool.
Thinking about it, the person who in my life who I am probably most opposite to is my brother. Despite our similar upbringings, he is everything that I am not. Our attitudes towards work, friends and life in general are completely different. We probably could spend a lot of our time arguing with each other although family loyalties (and the iron fist of my mother) dictates that we don't. And, however infuriating he may be at times, I still love him because he's my little brother.
I like to consider that this fudge represents my relationship with my brother because it's full of opposites (I may be slightly clutching at straws when it comes to seguing between my ramblings and my recipe here). You have smooth creamy fudge and then the crunch of the bitter cacao nibs. You have the richness of all that sugar and condensed milk but then a very healthy dose of sea salt. All the flavours and textures play off each other and combine to create something that is really quite superior.
It is much easier to make fudge if you have a candy thermometer - all you have to do is heat your ingredients until they reach a certain temperature and then beat the mixture until it is grainy. Personally, I prefer to freestyle it and drop spoonfuls of sugar syrup into cold water at random intervals until it forms a soft ball. I like to live on the edge. I also like to store my fudge in the freezer so I can take out ice cold lumps when I want it but this may just be me being a little bit eccentric.
~
Cacao nib and sea salt fudge Adapted from the Carnation condensed milk basic fudge recipe
Yield: Makes approx 50 pieces
Ingredients
- 397g can of condensed milk
- 150ml milk
- 450g demerara sugaer
- 115g unsalted butter
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 40g cacao nibs
Cooking Directions
- Line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper and grease well.
- In a small saucepan, heat the condensed milk, milk, sugar and butter over a low heat, stirring constantly, until until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the mixture reaches 115C/240F or the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in a bowl of ice water.
- Take off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and beat until thick and grainy.
- Stir in the cacao nibs, reserving some to sprinkle on top.
- Pour the mixture into the pan, sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the remaining cacao nibs and allow to cool at room temperature until solid. Cut into pieces.