Lydia Pinkham's peanut butter fudge

Lydia Pinkham’s Peanut Butter Fudge

This recipe was originally published in “Fruits and Candies” around 1920, a publication printed by Lydia Pinkham’s company after her death in 1883.

Find out more about Lydia Estes Pinkham and the important part she played in Women’s health in the US in the late 1800’s.

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar (note to metric users, these are American 240ml cups so keep that in mind when measuring)

6 teaspoons of peanut butter (2 US tablespoons or 1 and 1/2 UK or Australian tablespoons)

1/2 cup or 120ml of milk

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Butter or margarine to grease your dish

You’ll also need a candy thermometer or a cup of ice water

Method

Cook together 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons peanut butter and 1/2 cup of milk over a gentle heat until it reaches 235-245 degrees F/ 113 – 118 degrees C or forms a soft ball when dropped into ice water.

Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, pour into a clean bowl and beat until creamy.

Pour into a buttered dish and when nearly cold cut into small squares.

Moulded marshmallows

Moulded Marshmallows

How to mould home made marshmallow in chocolate or ice cube moulds. Make marshmallow brains for Halloween!

You’ll need

A batch of home made marshmallow but don’t make it until your moulds are prepared!

Ice cube trays or chocolate moulds

Cooking oil spray

2 tablespoons each of icing sugar (US powdered sugar) and corn starch

Method

Spray your moulds with cooking spray

Mix the corn starch and powdered sugar together and dust the moulds with it.

Pour in your freshly made marshmallow and leave to set.

Remove carefully by rolling the marshmallow out from one side (see the video for details on the technique).

Roll the marshmallows in the remainder of the sugar/starch mix.