Absurdly Easy Chocolate Fudge
Cookie & Bar, Dessert, Pie, Cake, Ice Cream
Ingredients
1/3 lb. milk chocolate (or bittersweet chocolate)
2/3 lbs. semi sweet
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Description
“All candy-making is about preventing crystallization,” said Michael Chu, an engineer based in Austin, Tex., who writes about his kitchen experiments online at Cooking for Engineers. Mr. Chu’s chocolate fudge recipe, of which this is an adaptation, has the pleasantly cakey, almost sandy texture desirable in fudge, which can be tricky to achieve using milk and butter. He uses condensed milk to reduce the ingredients in the fudge to a mere three (salt is optional), and to eliminate the dreaded step of cooking the sugar syrup to the soft-ball stage. “The manufacturing process has already done that work for you,” he said.
Directions
Grease (oil or butter) an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line with parchment or wax paper, letting edges of paper hang over sides of pan.
In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over (not resting in) simmering water, combine all ingredients except nuts.
Mix just until melted and well combined. (Alternatively, use a microwave on low power to melt ingredients, stopping every 10 to 20 seconds to mix well.)
The mixture should be heated as little as possible.
Mix in nuts, if using.
Scrape mixture into prepared pan.
Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or overnight.
Lift fudge on paper out of pan and use a large knife to cut into squares.
Notes
I have a recipe that is years old, i think from the early prat of the 20th century: cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla and 2 tbsps. butter. I do use half and half. It's really fudge, and really yummy. I'm afraid I snub this kind of fudge.
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Cocoa fudge is much more difficult to make, but it is such a superior flavor that it is well worth the trouble
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I have often made a version of this fudge, and lining an 8x8 pan with foil for easy removal. I do the heating in a nonstick 1 qt pan (used for nothing but candy!) over low heat, constantly stirring. When chips are completely melted, take off heat and add 1 t. vanilla and nuts, if desired, before pouring into pan.