Making Things Sweet

This post could also be titled Making Sweet Things….Like this yummy peppermint fudge!

Who doesn’t love fudge? This one could hardly be any easier OR tastier. You can whip up a batch of this candy and wrap it up for your neighbors, the mailman, coworkers, as a hostess gift at the next party you attend, or maybe for your guests at all the parties you are hosting this season.

This will be a family favorite for years to come…we promise!

The salt may seem like an odd ingredient in this sweet candy. But it actually makes the taste smoother and even slightly sweeter. Some people use peppermint extract in place of vanilla. We think the vanilla makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey. And we think what makes this fudge so tasty is the very chocolatey flavor combined with the bits of peppermint candy making it a chocolate AND peppermint flavor rather than having a peppermint chocolate taste. You should try it both ways and see how you prefer it.

Easy Peppermint Fudge
24 oz. of good quality chocolate (dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate or a combination) Use (2) bags of chocolate chips or (6) 4oz bars
2 cans of sweetened condensed milk (28 oz)
1/2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla (or peppermint extract)
Peppermint candies, crushed
Red and green candy sprinkles (optional, but very festive!)

Line a 9″ x 13″ pan* with parchment paper, allowing the edges to extend beyond the sides of the pan so as to make it easy to lift the finished fudge out of the pan when it is fully set up. This will make cutting even, clean pieces of the candy much easier. (Don’t substitute waxed paper as the fudge will stick to waxed paper)

Put the sweetened condensed milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat over medium low heat. When it is heated through, turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture begins to thicken and turns shiny.

Add salt and vanilla and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour fudge immediately into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy right away over the soft fudge and press VERY lightly with the palm of your hand just so the peppermint sticks to the chocolate. Next sprinkle with red and green candies, alternating as you sprinkle them so they are evenly distributed. Refrigerate the candy for at least 30 minutes but preferably for an hour. Lift fudge out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper to remove it. Cut the fudge into squares and enjoy!

(* You can also use a 9″ x 9″ pan to make thicker pieces of fudge if that is your preference. You will need to refrigerate for an hour though, to let the candy fully set up before cutting.)