Fudging It: Christmas Fudge Recipes

Fudge!Fudge is such a classic Christmas and holiday treat, and it's one of those things that is delicious all out of proportion to the difficulty in making it.  Much like Rice Crispy treats!  Unlike most other candies, making fudge amounts to melting stuff, then pouring it into a pan until it sets.  No candy thermometer required!

I have always used the Carnation evaporated milk fudge recipe.  It's a classic!  It used to be that this recipe was reliably found printed on the inside of the label on the can of evaporated milk.  This is no longer the case.  

Or maybe I just had the bad luck to pick the single can without the fudge recipe on the label.  I had forgotten to bring the list of ingredients to the store, so I stood in the middle of the baking aisle and picked the label off a can of evaporated milk.  No fudge recipe!  I did have to explain the torn off label to the woman at the checkout register, too.  Talk about striking out!

Nuts are, of course, a contentious item.  I prefer fudge with nuts in it.  However, people who like nuts can eat fudge without it.  While people who hate nuts cannot eat fudge with it.  So I feel that it's best to leave the nuts out.  I guess I like my desserts to appeal to the lowest common denominator!

Fortunately, the Carnation brand fudge recipe is simple enough that I was able to remember its basic ingredients.  Evaporated milk, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.  (I already had vanilla and butter at home, thank goodness, because I forgot about those ingredients at the store.)

Eagle Brand has an even easier fudge recipe, but it's so easy that it almost feels like cheating!  This one calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and vanilla.  This is a perfectly good recipe, but I don't feel that it sets as well as recipes which use some marshmallow content.  No one likes sweaty fudge that starts getting melty at room temperature!

Kraft Marshmallow Crème has its own fudge recipe.  I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that it contains marshmallow fluff instead of marshmallows!  It is called "Fantasy Fudge," and involves quite a few more ingredients than the other two recipes.  

I have not made the marshmallow creme fudge, personally.  I'm sure it's perfectly tasty, but my mind rebels at the thought of making anything with chocolate chips, marshmallow fluff, AND three cups of sugar.  (Three!)

Fudge does not need any accessorization, of course!  But if you would like to doll it up, here are some ideas:

• Add toasted coconut.
• Crush peppermint candy (the round candies are easier to crush than candy canes) and sprinkle over the top.
• Add up to ¼ cup of a flavored liqueur, such as raspberry liqueur, Irish cream, or amaretto.
• Add up to 1 cup of creamy peanut butter.
• Add a tablespoon of orange or almond extract.