One of the greatest joys of the holidays is homemade candy. Unfortunately, somebody has to get stuck with making it. And if you’re going to put in that kind of hard labor in the kitchen, you want to make something extra special to feel properly appreciated. That’s when it’s time to go for making some chocolate fudge. Fortunately, we’ve found a recipe from FoodNetwork.com that’s the perfect combination of quick, easy, and delicious. This is seriously one that can be pulled off by even the most casual first-timer. So put on some holiday music, and see if you can maybe even trick the family into getting involved in this chocolaty goodness… [photo via hulsestrength.com]
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped, roasted nuts, optional
Directions
Grease an 8 by 8-inch pan with butter. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, chocolate, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter, half-and-half, and corn syrup. Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved and chocolate is melted. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Cook until the thermometer reads 234 degrees F. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter. Do not stir. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes or until it drops to 130 degrees F. Add vanilla and nuts, if desired, and mix until well-blended and the shiny texture becomes matte. Pour into the prepared pan. Let sit in cool, dry area until firm. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week. They probably won’t last that long, though.
Yields 64 1-inch pieces of candy and has a total time of 40 minutes (10 minutes prep and 30 minutes cook)
