Tasty treat

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE FUDGE (MAKES 20 PIECES)

INGREDIENTS

4kg Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, to make 400g artichoke syrup; 500g glucose; 410ml whipping cream; 225g butter; 16g fine sea salt; 20ml cider vinegar; 200g milk chocolate, in pieces

METHOD:

1. Roughly chop the artichokes and feed through a juicer. Allow to stand for an hour, and skim off any foam.

2. Pass through a double layer of damp muslin, and boil in a stockpot.

3. Over a medium heat, allow the juice to reduce at a steady simmer, skimming off any scum, until you are left with a syrup roughly the colour of Marmite and a consistency similar to treacle when cooled.

4. Combine the syrup, glucose and cream in a small stock pot and bring slowly to the boil, stirring to combine. When boiling, reduce to a medium simmer and cook to 100˚C on a sugar thermometer.

5. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, and cook until the mixture is 112˚C, stirring gently but frequently. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter while the mixture is hot, followed by the salt and vinegar.

6. Scrape the warm mixture into a deep roasting tin lined with baking parchment.

7. Once the fudge is cool to the touch, transfer the tin to the freezer to set.

8. Remove from the freezer and use the baking parchment to lift the fudge out onto a chopping board. After 10 minutes at room temperature, use a large knife heated in hot water to cut the fudge into 2cm wide strips, then into squares.

9. Line the pieces on fresh parchment and return to the freezer for an hour. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a small pan of barely simmering water. Using a fork, plunge the fudge squares one at a time into the chocolate to cover them. Knock off the excess chocolate by tapping the fork against the edge of the bowl.

10. Replace in rows on the baking parchment and return to the freezer to set the chocolate.

11. To serve, remove from the freezer, trim splattered chocolate edges with a paring knife, and thaw in the fridge for 30 minutes.