Chocolate Fudge

I recently bought a new candy thermometer, because I seem to have misplaced my old one. Since then, I have been on a candy making kick and I am loving it! Some stuff just tastes better when you make it yourself! So I decided I would make fudge. Growing up going to the Jersey Shore (fudge and taffy central) I have very high standards, but I have to say this stuff is delicious and highly addictive, so much so that I made it twice. The first time I made it I topped it with chocolate chips, after it turned out so well, I made a second batch and made this batch with toasted walnuts mixed in. I liked the walnut batch better, but I really love walnuts. Before eating the fudge, I recommend bringing it back to room temperature (although it tastes good cold too). If you can make it last, it tastes even better the second day (I am serious), after sitting out (in a sealed container, of course) all night it was so creamy and amazing. It also makes a wonderful gift, if you can bare to part with it that is. This recipe makes a ton though, so you can easily share and keep some for yourself. The fudge will keep for about a week in a sealed container or plastic bag.



Chocolate Fudge:
1 cups of dark brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup of heavy cream
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
6 oz of semisweet chocolate
8 oz of bittersweet chocolate
3 cups of mini marshmallows
2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 cups of chocolate chips or toasted walnuts (optional)

Cover a 11 by 7 inch casserole dish with tinfoil. In a large pot, over medium-low heat, combine sugars, milk, cream, butter and salt. Cook until butter is completely melted and sugar is dissolved, you can check this by rubbing the mixture between your fingers, when you don't feel any granules the sugar is dissolved. This ensures your fudge is smooth. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer. Reduce heat to keep mixture at a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until the candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, soft ball stage. While the mixture is cooking, break the chocolate into pieces and put in a large heat proof bowl, add the marshmallows and vanilla to the bowl. When the sugar mixture is cooked, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir with a heat proof spoon until all the chocolate and marshmallows have melted and the mixture thickens (it will look a little like ground beef). If using walnuts stir them in now. Dump the mixture into the tinfoiled dish, and using the spoon press down to smooth and even out the mixture. If using chocolate chips, sprinkle with chips now and then press down lightly. Put fudge in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When fudge is cooled, use tinfoil to remove from pan and cut into pieces. Let return to room temperature before eating.

Happy Eating.