Dec142011

Oh Fudge!

Homemade Fudge

One of my favorite Christmas memories is helping my grandpa make fudge. Throughout the year, he’d find good deals on gigantic Hershey bars (back when they were good), bags of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and keep them stored in his chest freezer (oh how we kids eyeballed those chocolate bars).

He’d make huge batches to give away to friends and family, and if we were lucky enough to be there that weekend then we got to help.

Homemade Fudge

Over the years, I’ve tried to make Grandpa’s fudge several times but it’s never turned out well. It either stayed runny after cooling, or was brittle and chalky. After understanding fudge-making a little better I think I may have been off on my temperatures, but now I can’t find the recipe!

Out of desperation this year, I used the recipe on the back of a bottle of Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallow fluff. It doesn’t taste like grandpa’s did, but it was a good substitute.

Homemade Fudge

I cut back a little bit on the vanilla because I think that even a tiny bit too much overwhelms the chocolate.

I also added in a bit more chopped walnuts that what the recipe calls for and I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips. You should really use good chocolate for this since, obviously, there’s so much of it! If you’re not a fan of semi-sweet, you could go halfsies with semi-sweet and milk chocolate, or go all milk.

Kraft’s Fantasy Fudge
tweaked by me

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp vanilla

Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Butter bottom of foil with butter.

Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3 quart saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234°, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into squares.

Homemade Fudge

My picture helper.

3 Responses

  1. Jillian MitchellDecember 14th, 2011
  2. Frugal FerretDecember 21st, 2011

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