22 Days left to bake before Christmas! OMG Fudge!

I gave you a real workout with yesterday's recipe, so today I am going to be a little gentler on you and the rewards are just as huge! I am the all time biggest fan of homemade fudge. I don't care what kind it is as long as it is creamy.

I make fudge once a year at Christmas time. I give it to all of my family, Friends and cake clients. There is no way that I could possibly make everyone a cake for a gift, I do make quite a few for special client, but in the spirit of giving, I love to give something to everyone to show how much I appreciate them. Making mega batches of fudge is my way of doing this. Every year I start a search for a new cute, inexpensive container to put the fudge into. Sometimes I pour the fudge and let it harden and give it as a solid cake or sometimes I cut it up and put it in the container in pieces. No one every knows till they receive the gift what it will look like, only what it will taste like and that is terrific.

I am happy to say that the recipe is so simple that you will want to do this every year too. I make approximately 80-100 pounds of fudge in the next two/three weeks.
Each gift container will be approximately 1/2 pound of fudge. If you use add ins you will get more volume ie: nuts, marshmallows, raisins etc.



The best containers are the small holiday metal boxes that they sell at the craft or dollar stores. If you are only going to make a couple of gifts, try a really pretty xmas plate and wrap it in colored celephane with ribbon. With all the fudge I have made over the past 15 or 18 years, I never took a picture of any of the offerings. I really should have. This year I will.



Five (5) Minute No Cook Fudge! We are going for the gold here!
3 Large Hershey "Special Dark Chocolate" Bars. The wgt on these was 8oz ea I think now they are 6 oz or less to equal 16 ozs. You can use 16ozs of Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips if you can't find the large Hershey bars.
1 can Condensed milk (Do not use low fat)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 ts. salt
2 tbs. butter (Do not use margerine or shortening)
1/2 ts pure vanilla extract

Prepare in a glass microwavable bowl:
Chop up the chocolate and the nuts.
Now put in the condensed milk, salt, butter, and vanilla
Place the bowl with all the ingredients into the microwave. Heat on HIGH for 3 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir mixture to combine well. Put back in the microwave for another 2 minutes.
Remove from oven and mix well with a wooden spoon until the mixture has a beautiful sheen to it.
Pour immediately into buttered containers, or one buttered 8" square pan. Cool, turn out and cut.

PENUCHE FUDGE RECIPE

Now for an added bonus and if you still feel the need to do something on top of the stove, here is a great recipe for Penuche (Brown Sugar) Fudge
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 cups packed light brown sugar (14 ounces)
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar


Special equipment: a candy thermometer


Combine milk, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 238°F on thermometer and a teaspoon of mixture dropped into a small bowl of cold water holds a soft ball when pressed between your fingers (this will take about 30 minutes).

Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Beat in vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed, then add confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until fudge is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Spread evenly in an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm enough to cut, about 30 minutes.

Cut fudge into 64 squares with a sharp paring knife.

Cook's notes:
·If desired, stir 3/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped, into the fudge before spreading it in the pan. ·The fudge keeps, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days.


OMG Fudge!!!!