I’ve been making fudge a lot lately. Each time I present my cookbook Blue Jean Chef: Comfortable in the Kitchen on QVC, I make fudge for the presentation the night before. Each time I make it, it strikes me that this particular fudge recipe, using marshmallow cream, really is so easy to make. Many people refer to fudge that uses marshmallow cream as “Fantasy Fudge”. I’m not sure if the “Fantasy” refers to the smooth creamy result, or to the fact that it takes so little effort to make.

Old-fashioned traditional fudge making involves bringing sugar and corn syrup, along with cream or evaporated milk, to a boil and boiling it to the soft ball stage. That requires using a candy thermometer so you can see the temperature register between 236º and 240º F, or testing the sugar for soft ball stage by dropping a little in a bowl of cold water and testing to see if you can roll it into a ball when cool. Then you have to let the fudge sit, undisturbed, until the temperature drops to 110ºF. Once at the right temperature, you must beat the fudge until it is smooth and loses its glossy appearance and let it set up. All these steps have one common goal - to try to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.

Marshmallow cream is made up of corn syrup, sugar syrup, dried egg whites and vanillin. Having the corn syrup and sugar syrup already combined helps to prevent crystallization. That’s why marshmallow cream gives you a step up in the whole fudge making process. The hardest part of the recipe is finding the marshmallow cream in the grocery store and measuring it out of the sticky tub! Hint - look in the peanut butter and jam section of the grocery store, and just spoon out roughly half a 14 oz tub for this recipe!

Dark Chocolate Orange Fudge

Makes 36 squares

Another great holiday gift! Purchase tins at your local craft store and fill them with this fudge. Wrap a ribbon around the tin, attach a gift card and you’re ready to make someone very happy.

Ingredients:

1½ cups sugar

cup evaporated milk

¼ cup butter

7 ounces marshmallow cream

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

2 tablespoons orange zest, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, marshmallow cream and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
   
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the two different chocolates. Stir until the chocolates have melted and are well combined.
   
3. Add the vanilla and orange extracts and orange zest and stir.
   
4. Pour the fudge into a 9-inch square pan (either buttered well, lined with parchment paper or coated with a non-stick surface), spread out the fudge until smooth and let it cool. When it has set, cut the fudge into squares and enjoy. Store the fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
   

Recipe from Blue Jean Chef: Comfortable in the Kitchen