Milk fudge / Tiny sweet apples / Bite size desserts / Mini treats

A sweet fudge made with ricotta cheese and condensed milk .

Would you like to please your Valentine with something different  ? Looking for small portion size dessert, something that does not make you feel guilty or wreck your diet well then this fudge is just right for you. Mini sweet apples... how cool is that ! Lately I have been longing to make something special that has nothing to do with chocolate....yet appealing .Chocolate haters and milk lovers this way please...scroll down guys u will love it !

Indians do make a lot of milk based fudges with similar ingredients, this is my take on it which is sure to impress.

Don't they look cute !!Anything in miniature is sure to catch one's eye, right!

Opening a condensed milk can bring back a lot of childhood memories .I was not fond of all desserts made at home but would make sure the can shines like new Oh! I did that every time :)) .I am sure most of you would have done that.Look at the lusciousness !! I mean..  how can you feel like wasting even a drop :).

Ingredients - ( Yields around 30 mini fudges )

Ricotta cheese - 1 can 15 oz 

Condensed milk -1 can 

Butter- 1 tbsp +  1 tbsp for shaping  (unsalted)

Cardamom 2-3 pods (powder the seeds)

Yellow food color- 6 to 7 drops

Red food color- 2 to 3 drops

Cloves- 30 ( for stalk)

Method

1. In a wide mouthed non stick pan add 1 tbsp butter when it melts empty ricotta into the pan and pour half the condensed milk stir continuously till the whole thing reduces to half then pour the rest of  it and keep stirring until the whole thing reduces and becomes really thick . If the dough is sticking to the pan then do add lil more butter.
(Work on a low to medium heat only.Not a speck should be burnt so  please do not leave it unattended, without stirring)

2 .Just before putting off the flame add cardamom powder and the yellow food coloring  and mix evenly . We are aiming for a pliable dough not a really hard one so keep an eye on it.

3.Grease a plate with butter and keep it ready.
When the heat of the dough is bearable roll into small rounds .Grease your palms with butter  every time you shape the rounds .The surface should not any crack it should look smooth and even. (See note).Make a small dent with your little finger and put a clove upright into the center of the dent .Work this part as fast as you can because the dough will dry out .

For coloring :

4.After u finish shaping all the apples finish off with a touch of red color here and there only at the top with a small piece of damp paper towel  /damp small brush and just tone it down with yellow food color by dabbing  on the edges of red...It should not look patchy that's all.Pretty much like applying blush u need to blend it slightly:)

5.Put each fudge into individual cupcake liner.They tend to stick if stacked together and loose shape or the clove may fall out.

Serve it on a beautiful  plate :))
OR
Carefully place two or three tiny apples on a large scoop of  vanilla or caramel flavored ice cream.Milk fudge and ice cream are great combos.
OR
Use it to decorate the dessert u have made instead of sprinkles and nuts.

I decided to increase the color intensity with lil more touch up the next day. Ideally they look more life like when pale is my verdict.

Note

• If u feel the dough is falling apart and not holding shape then u may have to put it back on stove and stir it well.A good rule would be to test shaping one while still on the stove.
• The cooked  dough is like a pliable play dough it can be molded into any shape you like heart, square u name it .The imagination is the limit but you have to work fast other wise it becomes dry like I said but all is not lost because the dough has oils.If the round begins to crack and u are not getting the desired effect while shaping just squeeze the small rounds in between your butter greased palms hard and reshape till the surface is smooth.
• Coloring is optional u could leave it out and do all the rest still it would look really good..I colored only a few with red .
• Oh almost forgot! clove has a strong taste so plan ahead on the stalk suitable to ur taste buds.
• The stirring can seem monotonous  but I can tell u it is totally worth the effort.
• If all else fails just divide the dough into two add any color of ur choice to one dough.On a greased tray level the plain one first then the colored one even out the top.Run the knife to mark the squares let it set ,when cool it can be eaten.Have a look at the related posts given below.
• Good at room temperature.Refrigerate after one or two days.

Let me know if you liked it.

Meena

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