Butterscotch Fudge
This is an Indian dessert called Besan that is made from chickpea flour, butter, sugar and nuts. It tastes like a cross between fudge and shortbread, with a rich crumbly texture. How can you go wrong with that!
I used slivered almonds because my Dad doesn’t have a sweet tooth but I would use cashews if making for myself, pistachios if making for my BFF Allison. This takes about 30 minutes to makes, start to finish, plus another 30 mintues to rest. You need the following ingredients (fyi chickpea flour is available at the Bulk Barn):
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 cups chickpea flour
- ½ cup chopped nuts: cashews, pistachios or slivered almonds
To start, combine the sugar, water, and ground cardamom into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature to maintain a roiling boil, and continue stirring until thick syrup forms. It is the thread setting on a candy thermometer (223-235 F is when the syrup drips from a spoon or forms thin threads in water) and takes about 15 minutes. Cover and let stand to the mixture cool slightly.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the chickpea flour. Cook over medium-low heat until it turns a deep golden brown. Stir occasionally, and fter about 8 minutes you can start to smell that it is cooked. It looks like a giant roux. In the meantime, grease an 8×8″ pan with butter and set it close by.
Over low heat, stir the cooked flour mixture into the syrup along with half the nuts. Quickly pour it into the baking pan, keeping in mind that it is hot sugar so use a utensil, not your fingers. Move fast, because it will cool quickly. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the nuts and let set for about 1 hour. I recommend marking the cut lines to save you effort once it hardens/cools.
Cut on the diagonal to form diamond shaped squares and serve with darjeeling tea.
