Combine two of your favorite holiday flavors, chocolate and peppermint, in one delicious fudge! Peppermint-laced and topped with crushed candy canes, Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge is one festive treat that's sure to please.
When it comes to holidays, December is indeed the
most wonderful time of the year. So many wonderful celebrations, get-togethers, and traditions come along with
the Christmas season.
One of my absolute favorite traditions is the making of Christmas treat gifts-from-the-kitchen. Nothing shows love and appreciation at Christmastime more
than a heart-felt homemade gift, don't you think? And Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge is a perfect choice for that homemade gifting line-up.
Creamy peppermint-laced chocolate fudge is then topped with crushed candy canes to create this deliciously festive treat. It's so good, you won't be able to give it all away, though. -- You'll need to keep at least a little for yourself!
Now, I'd like to share a little story about holiday gifts from the kitchen from when I was a kid. -- It's most likely where I got my love for making and giving homemade treats myself.
Creamy peppermint-laced chocolate fudge is then topped with crushed candy canes to create this deliciously festive treat.
When I was growing up, my Dad worked as a mail carrier,
walking the same mail route and delivering the daily mail to the same people
for over twenty years. When the
Christmas season came along, his customers showed their appreciation for his
work by showering him with all kinds of homemade goodies. -- From candy, to homemade Chex Mix, countless varieties of cookies, and even the most delicious homemade scones. I remember eagerly awaiting his arrival home
each day so I could see what treats he'd received, and so I could help him unwrap
any that needed unwrapping, of course.
Those homemade gifts made a definite impression on me as a
kid. To this day some thirty-something years later, I still remember many of the goodies, who made them, and exactly how some
of them tasted. And I knew from these
homemade gifts that my Dad was loved and appreciated.
Cooking up homemade gifts like this Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge for family, friends, and neighbors is one of my favorite Christmas things to do. Not only do homemade treats pass along an extra-special touch of love, they also bring on happy smiles and satisfied tummies as a wonderful bonus, too.
What's to Love About This Recipe?
- Fabulous chocolate & peppermint flavor - Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge combines two of your favorite holiday flavors, chocolate and peppermint, in one delicious fudge!
- Festive candy cane topping - Crushed candy canes on top make Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge one festive sweet treat that's sure to please.
- Great gift from the kitchen - Squares of this tasty fudge make for a wonderful Christmastime gift-from-the-kitchen.
Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge Ingredients:
Chopped chocolate, basic fudge ingredients, and two forms of peppermint come together to create this fun and festive Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge. To whip up a batch, you'll need:
- Granulated sugar - The fudge's sweetener. When boiled with the recipe's butter and evaporated milk, the sugar turns into the candied foundation of the fudge.
- Butter - Choose unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Evaporated milk - Six ounces (half of a 12-ounce) can of evaporated milk is needed to create the fudge's candied foundation.
- Semi-sweet baking chocolate - Chopped baking chocolate, such as Baker's brand, serves as the chocolate base of the fudge. Look for bars of baking chocolate alongside chocolate chips in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- Marshmallows - 18 large marshmallows, torn in half and melted into the fudge's chocolate mixture, bring volume and creaminess to the fudge.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances and rounds out the flavor of the fudge's chocolate.
- Peppermint extract - Brings a nice peppermint flavor to the chocolate fudge itself.
- Candy canes - Crushed candy canes create the festive topping for the fudge and bring additional peppermint flavor. Five regular-sized candy canes, or about 1/4 cup crushed, are needed.
How to Make Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge:
Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge is pretty easy to make. It takes a little bit of cooking, a good bit of stirring, and some chilling time -- and then the chocolate-peppermint deliciousness is ready to enjoy.
To get a batch started, combine some granulated sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then continue to boil the mixture for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring it constantly to keep it from scorching.
Remove the sugar-butter mixture from the heat and add in chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Add a bit of vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and some marshmallows that have been torn in half. Stir everything together until the mixture is smooth and the marshmallows are fully incorporated.
Pour the fudge into a baking pan that's been lined with foil. Immediately sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes, lightly pressing the candy canes into the fudge mixture so they adhere.
Pop the fudge in the refrigerator until it's fully chilled. Then cut it into small squares to enjoy.
Check out these other super tasty fudge recipes:
Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!
Yield: about 20 pieces
Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge
Combine two of your favorite holiday flavors, chocolate and peppermint, in one delicious fudge! Peppermint-laced and topped with crushed candy canes, Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge is one festive treat that's sure to please.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 30 M
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 4 T. unsalted butter
- 3/4 c. evaporated milk
- 8 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
- 18 large marshmallows, torn in half
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
- 5 candy canes, crushed (about 1/4 c.)
Instructions
- Line bottom and sides of an 11x7" pan with foil, allowing foil to hang slightly over the edges of the pan. Rub foil with butter or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, over medium heat, for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate; stir until melted. Add vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and marshmallows. Stir until smooth and marshmallows are fully incorporated.
- Pour into prepared pan. Immediately sprinkle top with crushed candy canes, lightly pressing candy canes into fudge mixture so they adhere.
- Cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 2 hours.
- Once chilled, use the edges of the foil to lift fudge from the pan. Cut into small squares. Store fudge in the refrigerator.
I could see how waiting for your dad to come home with a collection of treats would be so much fun as a kid. What great memories. Have a merry Christmas!
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