Fudge Delights

I am not slaving over a hot stove this week.

I seem much more interested in taking photos of beautiful pumpkins and fall flowers at Northpark Mall.

This weekend I’m also having a little adventure in New Orleans and at Tulane for my 30th college reunion.

You never know who or what you’ll find while roaming the streets of the French Quarter.

Music, food and colorful characters are everywhere, like this giant REAL parrot we saw outside an automotive shop in the French Quarter.

To get in the party mood before I left for New Orleans, I decided to make some QUICK and EASY fudge bites.

Did you know you can make your own fudge without a candy thermometer using simple ingredients like butter, chocolate chips and marshmallows?

These cute fudge delights are just 50 calories and 2 grams of fat a piece. Use any kind of melting chocolate you like or mix two kinds such as semi sweet and dark like I did for a more complex flavor.

For color, I topped the fudge bites with some candy covered sunflower seeds I bought at Trader Joes.

If you’ve never made candy before, this no fail fudge recipe is for you!

It makes a great holiday gift too. Make a few batches and decorate with holiday sprinkles, chopped nuts or candy. Place them in little cellophane bags with a ribbon and you’ve got an original homemade treat everyone will love!

Share your creations with friends and family and post your photos and comments on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest with #diginwithdana. As always, I’d love to see what foods you’re digging into this holiday season!

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Easy Fudge Bites

• Author: Dana Gerard
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 64 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

You won’t need a candy thermometer to make these delicious, easy fudge bites. Use any melting chocolate and mix in you like, such as white chocolate and chopped fruit, dark chocolate and candy bits or a mix of semi and dark chocolate with chopped, roasted nuts. The variations are limitless!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans (2 oz/ 60 gm)
• 2 tablespoons butter (1 oz/28 gm)
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk (5 oz/140 ml)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (11 oz/ 308 gm)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups mini marshmallows (5 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, dark or white) (9 oz/255 gm)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sprinkles, multi colored candies or chopped nuts (optional) (2 oz/60 gm)

Instructions

1. Measure out all ingredients.
2. Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper on bottom and halfway up sides.
3. Preheat oven to 325 F. On a baking sheet, roast pecans 10-15 minutes until brown and fragrant. Remove from oven, let cool, then chop.
4. In a large pot, combine butter, milk, sugar and salt.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for five minutes.
6. Remove from heat and immediately stir in marshmallows and chocolate chips until completely melted, then stir in vanilla and nuts.
7. Pour mixture evenly into prepared pan. Smooth the top and corners with a spatula.
8. Top fudge with sprinkles, candies or nuts and gently press in.
9. Place mixture in the refrigerator until cold.
10. Cut fudge into 1/2” squares.
11. Makes 64 minis.

Notes

Adapted from Five Minute Chocolate Fudge
by Diane Rattray at Southernfood.com