I dipped into Nigella Express again for this one! Great for a chocolate fix and good to share (if you can bear to)!
Chocolate Pistachio Fudge
350g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 x 397g can condensed milk
30g butter
pinch salt
150g pistachios
1 Put the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt in a heavy-based pan on a low heat, and stir to melt.
2 Put the nuts in a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces.
3 Add the nuts to the melted chocolate and condensed milk and stir well to mix.
4 Pour and spatch this mixture into a foil tray 23cm square, smoothing the top.
5 let the fudge cool, and refrigerate until set. You can then cut it into small pieces.
6 Once cut, it can be kept in the freezer - no need to thaw just eat straight away.
Makes 64 pieces (approx.)
I just put the fudge in the fridge, but Nigella says it will turn more grainy if you put it in the freezer!
And now to my cat, Beaker!
There is much excitement in this house if a parcel arrives and it is packaged in a cardboard box. Beaker waits, (I use this term loosely) while you unpack the box, so that he can get in it! I think it must be a comfort thing! He was a rescue cat and they had a cardboard box in his pen, when we got him.
Unfortunately this box was a little small for him, but he will try to squeeze himself in anyway, failing that he will just put his front paws in! Bless!
Always find Nigella's chocolatey things too heavy but the pistachios in this really appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteCute cat!
It is very chocolatey, but it is good to have a little bite-sized treat to hand! The crunch of the pistachio is lovely in this fudge!
ReplyDeleteI won't tell Beaker you said that, he thinks he is tough!
Aw... love your cat! One of my previous cats *loved* empty boxes and empty paper grocery bags. I always thought it was so cute. My current cat, Harry, isn't really into any of that... I kind of miss it.
ReplyDeleteThe fudge looks decadent! Great job! :)
Hi Jenny, One of my cats loves plastic grocery bags too! He loves lying one and then making crinkly sounds playing with his toys in it! Easily amused!
ReplyDeleteAww, your cat is adorable!!!! I miss having one, but living in a flat, well, not poss at the moment.
ReplyDeleteChoccy's not bad looking either. I'm not a fan of Nigella's - I've made a few of her recipes and not been terribly impressed - but they look damn good.
I love 'Nigella Express' - this looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHi Lynn,
ReplyDeleteI would hate to be without a cat, but as you say, ad flat is not always the ideal home for one!
The only thing I would say about this dish, is that it doesn't have the crumbly texture of fudge, but it is definitely chocolate heaven!
Hi Veggiegirl, it is a good programme, a bit meaty for me this time, but I always get good simple ideas from Nigella!
Beaker is a bit like my Rosie then, who, given a small box tries the same thing. She's just a whole lot fatter and it's quite the challenge...Beaker, if he tries, will no doubt fit comfortably.
ReplyDeleteChocolate fudge sounds good.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! This sounds delicious!
ReplyDeletePistachios are just the best! I also have a black kitty and she loves boxes too! Too cute!
Awh your cat is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHi Lucy, He did in fact keep pesevering and managed to squeeze most of himself in. the box died!
ReplyDeleteIt is yummy Kevin!
Hey Jen,I would have preferred shelled pistachios, but all I had was a bag in shells! Took a while!
What is it with cats and boxes?
Thanks Hellojed.
Love the contrast of the dark chocolate and the beautiful green of the pistachios. And Beaker is such a cutie :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, The colour of the pistachios peeking through the fudge, is great isn't it? I could have put more in, but I got sick of shelling and peeling them!
ReplyDeleteThe chocolate fudge looks so decadent Holler! As an aside our cat loved paper bags as well as boxes. He could play for hours!!!
ReplyDeleteVery decadent Val! How your weekend was decadent too, I am hopping over to your blog to see if you have posted about it!
ReplyDeleteChocolate is a nice way to recoup from your cold, Yum! Wow this one sounds so easy!
ReplyDeleteOh Holler, your kitty is so sweet. We lost our Fang this summer. Yep the little old lady just could not make it anymore so we had to put her down. I did not do a post on her as I cannot. I still miss her so. Your sweetie looks just like Fang. And Fang was a box lover also! Give her a hug for me!
Want to see something scary? I was just looking at Dagoba Chocolate, and noticed that my Eclipse bar wasn't the darkest any more! Prima Materia 100% Dark Chocolate is. Oh. My. Goodness.
ReplyDeleteLove your kitty's name! Cats do seem to have a thing for boxes, don't they?! Your fudge looks yum...wonder if it can be veganised...hmmmm :)
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, Oh, poor you, your heart bust be very bruised! I will give Beaker a hug for you!
ReplyDeleteOH MY David,That would be an experience and a half! I haven't ventured beyond 70%, not tell a lie, I think I once tasted a 85%.
Hi Scottish Vegan, Our cat is named after Beaker in the muppet show, he was a science lab muppet, who was very funny!
I am not sure how you would veganise this recipe, does anyone else have any idea?
Holler, I love the idea of making fudge. Thank you for the inspiration. I plan to make two batches- one with pistachios and for the second batch I am planning to add fresh coconut flakes and leave the pistachios out. Your cat is super cute!
ReplyDeleteGood idea to add coconut Shelly!
ReplyDeleteI will pass your regards to Beaker, who will accept them royally!
Nigella loves her chocolate and she makes some good stuff. I love pistachios, so that fudge you made looks great!
ReplyDeleteI love how kitties will crawl into the tiniest of spaces.
lol. did you know that chocolate was banned in switzerland for many years. read this
ReplyDeleteI'm just watching the episode where Nigella makes the fudge - it looks yum, but makes my teeth ache just thinking about it!
ReplyDeleteYou're right - her food is very meaty, but she's irresistible! I especially love her pantry. And isn't she thoughtful, making us vegetarians a dish of roasted butternut squash!!
Beaker is adorable. I had a kitten who made himself a bed in a shoebox. The shoebox sat in the corner of the windowsill that caught the sun most of the day, and he used it even as he got bigger and bigger and bigger until one day the box burst and catapulted the cat onto the floor leaving him with a very bemused look on his face!!