The Dish: Executive Pastry Chef Thaddeus Dubois' simple 5 minute, 3 ingredient fudge
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Have you ever tried to make fudge? While delicious, it can be tedious and time consuming. But what if we told you that you can make it in just five minutes with three simple ingredients?
It's a magical little confectionary hack courtesy of the Hard Rock Atlantic City's Executive Pastry Chef Thaddeus Dubois, who was also once the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House.
"It's a family recipe that my father taught me," Dubois says. "I don't know where he got it. He never actually told me, but he gave it to me when I was 10 years old. His name is Robert Charles DuBois. So I call it RCD Fudge."
This easy peasy fudge only has three ingredients.
"You don't have to cook any sugar, and you only need a mixer," Dubois says. "We have eight ounces of cream cheese, eight ounces of powdered sugar and eight ounces of melted chocolate. And that's it!"
Yes, cream cheese, to simulate the creamy texture without any cooking.
"We put the powdered sugar in the mixer first, so that when we go to put in the cream cheese in, it won't stick to the bowl as much," Dubois explains.
Start on a slow speed, then speed it up until this mixture is smooth.
"It takes like a minute, and it will be ready to go," he says. "There can't be anything much easier than that."
You are looking an icing-like consistency from that sugar-cream cheese mixture, and then, fold in warm, melted chocolate by hand.
"You could use candy bars," Dubois says. "I use couverture. Pastry chefs have lots of technical terms. Couverture means a certain fat content. It's a European term."
Once it's all combined, time to roll!
"I am using acetate as a surface, but you could use parchment paper or baking paper," Dubois explains.
You're trying to achieve a log-like shape.
"We then refrigerate that for a few hours," he says. "Overnight is fine."
Then, before you decorate, let it sit out for a bit.
"You need to soften it, so let bring it out at room temperature so it kind of gets tacky," he says. "I am rolling it in some vermicelli here (like sprinkles), but you can use nuts, crushed candy cane, whatever you like."
Once you're done adorning, pop it back in the fridge so it's easier to slice and serve!
RCD Quick Fudge Recipe
Ingredients:
- 8oz Philly Cream Cheese
- 8oz 10x Sifted Sugar
- 8oz Coverture Chocolate (55% melted)
- Walnuts (optional)
- Chocolate shavings (optional)
- Jimmies (optional)
Steps:
1. Beat Philly cream cheese and sifted 10x sugar until smooth, light and fluffy.
2. Add melted couverture and combine.
3. Fold nuts into fudge (optional).
4. Line a bowl with plastic wrap and deposit fudge into bowl and cover completely with plastic.
5. Let firm in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
6. Roll into a log measuring 10" long (or so) and roll in finely chopped walnuts, chocolate shavings or chocolate jimmies.
(Pro tip: if the toppings won't stick to your roll - your fudge is still too cold!)
7. Wrap tightly with plastic and chill until firm.
Slice and serve!
Bringing sweet treats from the White House to the Jersey Shore
This time of year, Chef Dubois is always busy dreaming up delicious holiday delights. He says Christmas is one of those things you can never go overboard with.
Each detail of each dessert comes with the whimsy that he's loved for three decades.
"I still get a little bit crazy," he says. "That's the secret ingredient. You have to have a little crazy."
Dubois has been at the Hard Rock Atlantic City since 2020, but of his 30+ years in the kitchen, there's one resume item that people always find the most fascinating.
"I worked for George W. Bush from 2004 to 2006. I was the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House," he says.
From grand state dinners to personal treats for the president, Dubois brought some of his own recipes into the kitchen of the West Wing.
"(The president) had simple tastes like chocolate chip cookies. He loved pie. He would always blame me that he had to work out in his gym, which is right next door to my office on the third floor," he jokes.
And now, you'll find those same sweets at eateries across the Hard Rock Atlantic City.
