Mom's Christmas fudge.
Fudge is a goddamn Christmas miracle, and my mom's Christmas fudge is the most miraculous of all.
She's been making it for like 40 years, maybe longer, and it is THE BEST. It is neither sandy, like some fudge, nor is it melty, like other fudge. It has the perfect bite — slightly firm on the outside, heavenly soft on the inside. For me, my mom's fudge *is* Christmas.
Her signature fudge is studded with mini marshmallows, and it is get-out-of-town good, especially on Christmas morning, after she makes Nest Eggs for the family, but before we open our stockings, which have our names knitted into them and typically contain Reese's peanut butter trees and at least one pocket flashlight.
>> AND SINCE IT'S HOLIDAY TIME <<
I'm giving you TWO SPECIAL XMAS FUDGE RECIPES. Using Mom's method as a base, I made my own signature fudge: a cinnamon-y, hot pepper-y variety, reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate. (And btw is that cutest makeshift double-boiler you've ever seen? Oh I just know it is.)
Happy holidays, sweet teeth!
yours,
aa
Mom's Mini Marshmallow Fudge
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Makes one 8"x8" dish
Recommended pairing: You may think me mad, but have this with hot chocolate. Or Irish coffee.
What you’ll need
3 c. (18oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Dash of salt (~¼ tsp, or, if you're my mom 3 shakes of your salt shaker)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (Mom: "It has to be the good stuff.")
2 c. mini marshmallows
How to make it
Line an 8"x8" baking dish with two sheets of tinfoil, crossed at the middle, with about 4" excess hanging over each side. This excess foil will help you turn out the fudge when it's ready, so don't skip this step. Also, to quote my mother, "Some people tell you to use wax paper. IT'S A LIE. Wax paper will meld to the bottom of the fudge. Don't do it, ever."
Heat chocolate chips in a heavy-bottomed set to the low end of medium. Stir constantly, "because you don't want seized-up chocolate. That's never a good thing." When your chocolate is nearly melted, add sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Follow with the salt, then the butter. Once everything is melted and well-combined, remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Fold in marshmallows.
Pour into your foil-lined baking dish. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours. Remove from fridge. Using tinfoil handles, remove from baking dish. Place a cutting board directly on top of fudge and turn upside down. Peel off foil and slice into 2"x2" squares. Wrap in festive cellophane and give to your friends, like my mom. Or just eat it all, like me.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Will keep peak flavor for ~1 week. After that, the flavor and texture start to degrade slightly, but it's still damn tasty.
Mom's ps. If you don't like marshmallows, use walnuts. Just eliminate the butter and stir in 1 c. of chopped walnuts just before you remove from heat.
Mom's pps. If you don't like marshmallows or walnuts, don't use either. Just eliminate the butter.
Mom's ppps. You can use other chips, too, like white or dark chocolate, peanut butter, or cinnamon (which she has never done, but it seems reasonable).
Bittersweet + Spicy Fudge
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Makes one 8"x8" dish
Recommended pairing: Seriously, HOT CHOCOLATE. With mezcal.
What you’ll need
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Dash of salt (~¼ tsp)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (I agree with Mom: "It has to be the good stuff.")
2 tsp cinnamon
½ to ¾ tsp ground cayenne* or ¼ tsp ground African bird pepper**
Pink peppercorns & coarse sea salt for sprinkling
How to make it
Prep your dish like Mom does: Line an 8"x8" baking dish with two sheets of tinfoil, crossed at the middle, with about 4" excess hanging over each side.
In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate chips. Stir frequently to help it along. When your chocolate is nearly melted, add sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Follow suit with the dash of salt, cinnamon, and pepper. Once everything is melted and well-combined, remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir to combine.
Pour into your foil-lined baking dish. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and pink peppercorns. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours.
Remove from fridge. Using tinfoil handles, remove from baking dish. Place a cutting board directly on top of fudge and turn upside down. Peel off foil and slice into 2"x2" squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep peak flavor for ~1 week.
*If you like a little more spice, stir in ¾ tsp of cayenne, or go even wilder with 1 tsp.
**African bird pepper is hot, y'all. I love love love spicy food, but this stuff doesn't mess around, cf. cayenne ranks between 30,000 and 50,000 on the Scoville scale, and African bird pepper ranks at 150,000+. Proceed with caution if you're sensitive to hot stuff.
