The following “CHEW THIS!” column originally appeared a in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News” as well as other publications. Check their websites for further information or write to me for more details as to where this can be viewed.
7 Pound Chocolate Fudge
I love fudge and I use the excuse of, “The Holidays coming up” to make it, when in reality, I make it year around, all the time. My love for fudge started when I was super young, maybe 5 or 6 and I still remember to this day my Grandma Barbra and I stirring up some of the best chocolate fudge I had ever had from a cookbook she had, that I now have, called “What’s Cooking In Kentucky”. The recipe listed it as “the best fudge recipe I have found”. I have since tried to make it without my Grandma Barbra, since she passed away 6 years ago this month and I just can not get it to work out anymore. It is good and all, just not what I remember at all. Perhaps I am chasing the taste of “memory” instead of actually being able to taste the fudge. Needless to say, I have other recipes that I work from all the time and the one I am sharing here today is another favorite!
Fudge takes time to make, so when making it, why not make a lot? This recipe makes 7 pounds of fudge, hence the name! It is fairly easy to stir together too, you just need to have patience and a good eye on things. You can use a candy thermometer if you want but I never do with this. I boil it, stirring constantly for 5 minutes and then do a soft ball test. Those who know what that means, know. Those that do not, let me enlighten you. Take a little of the fudge mixture, drop it into some cold water that you have in a bowl or a glass and see if you can “squish” it together to form a soft ball. If it does not, keep on boiling. If the ball is hard you have gone too far. Just start testing around the 4 1/2 minute mark.
7 Pound Chocolate Fudge
16 oz Marshmallow Fluff
10 oz evaporated milk
1 stick unsalted butter
5 cups white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Spray 2 9-inch square pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine together the Marshmallow Fluff, evaporated milk, unsalted butter, white granulated sugar and salt in a large pot over medium high heat.
Gently stir everything together and wait for the ingredients to melt together.
Once melted, stir constantly until the mixture starts to boil – not bubble. Once at a boil, stir constantly for about 5 minutes. You want to get to the soft ball stage at this point. Once at the soft ball stage, remove from the heat and add in the pure vanilla extract and gently stir together.
Beat in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Carefully pour the fudge evenly between the 2 prepared pans and smooth out the tops.
Allow to cool at room temperature before enjoying. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.
ASK AND ANSWER: This column is dedicated to Jean A. Henry from Knightstown, who wrote and asked if I had a recipe that would “make a lot of fudge for Christmas”. I think seven pounds will do it, yes? And Jean, if not, this recipe easily doubles or triples. Thanks for your question! Happy Holidays!