Jamoncillo (Mexican Fudge)
This is traditional Mexican candy. It is is best described as milk fudge.
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated goat’s milk (or cow’s milk)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- Food coloring
- Flavorings (optional)
- Pecan halves (optional)
Instructions
- Unless you plan to drop tablespoonsful onto wax paper, lightly butter or grease a 9-inch square pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving about a 1-inch overhang on all sides.
- Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the mixture has thickened and starts pulling away from the sides of the pan, 20 to 30 minutes. The candy should easily slide out of the pan.
- At this time, you can add food coloring to the batch if you like. Pink, red, and green are the most popular colors. Split the batch in 2 to make more colors but work fast because the fudge will set up fairly quickly.
- Either drop by tablespoonsful onto wax paper or pour into the prepared pan. Decorate with pecan halves, if desired. Allow to set at room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Cut into rectangles or desired shapes.
Notes
Chocolate Fudge: Add 6 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed) along with the other ingredients.
Chocolate Pecan Fudge: Add 1 pound (about 2 cups) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips along with the other ingredients.After you have transferred the candy to the square pan but before it cools much, sprinkle 1 cup of crushed pecans over the top evenly. Press the pecans down slightly with your hand into the fudge. Let cool completely.
Lime Fudge: Replace the vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon grated lime zest and add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice and a few drops of green food coloring (if desired) when the mixture has been removed from the heat, making sure you add them slowly and stir well so it doesn’t separate.
Attribution
Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / paulovilela
