This is an updated version of a post from 2010
Food gifts are the best. I love to give them as well as receive them, especially sweets. Fudge is one of the perfect gifts to give anyone, in my opinion. The methods of packing and gift wrapping are endless and just about everyone loves fudge. It is one of those universal gifts.
When I quit working and became a one-income family, store bought gifts were the first thing to go, especially the past extravagance of Christmas. I was blessed with the ability to create cool and unique items that everyone in the family loved to receive. Handmade gifts are so appreciated by most people because they are special and made with lots of love.
This is the only fudge recipe I use . . . CHOCOLATE . . . it is the only one I need . . . it is that good and relatively easy.
Even in my working days, JR and I had a tradition of taking vacation days around the Christmas holiday. We baked and cooked non-stop in preparation for our annual Christmas party and made lots of food gifts for our guests to take home. I remember one year spending two days just making batches of fudge, one at a time . . . those were the good ole days for me!
I have no idea where this recipe came from, but I have used it year after year since I was out on my own decades ago.
Makes 100 1-inch pieces
12 ounces German sweet chocolate, broken
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
7 ounces marshmallow creme
4 1/2 cups sugar
13 ounces evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups broken walnuts
Place chocolate bars, morsels and marshmallow creme in a bowl.
Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil on high, stirring constantly. When the mixture boils, lower heat to medium and set a timer for 6 minutes. Keep mixture boiling steadily and stir constantly during this time to prevent scorching.
At the end of 6 minutes, pour boiling syrup over chocolate and marshmallow creme. Beat until chocolate is melted and well blended. Beat in the vanilla and nuts.
Pour into a lightly buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Let cool at room temperature for 24 hours. Cut into 1 inch squares and pack in airtight containers.
