December 16, 2010

Oh... Fudge.

Name the movie...

Well, well it is that time of the year again.  The time when us cooks suck-it-up and pretend to be bakers.  I dug through my utensil drawer and fished out my measuring spoons and cups.  I bought my yearly quota of cholesterol butter and am ready to bake.  Today's episode: Fudge.

More years ago than I care to discuss I was in a sorority at University of Illinois, Pi Beta Phi.  We had a house mom, Sue.  She was probably in her mid-fifties and everyone really liked her.  She kept us in line (yeah right).  Around first semester finals time she made fudge for all the girls and I was in heaven.  I don't think I had ever tried fudge and I was in love. The texture was heavenly!  I asked her for the recipe and she actually gave it to me!  Usually people SAY they will and forget.  Thanks Sue!

[One day she was mysteriously/suddenly let go by Pi Phis, the older and stuffier alum Pi Phis.  There are rumors, of course, but I will refrain from gossip since her fudge recipe rocks my holiday world.]

Fast forward and I meet Carol.  We taught high school math together.  I was bragging about my awesome fudge and she says, "oh the one with 24 marshmallows?"  [Carol: BIG SMILE]  I say, "Actually, yes, 24 marshmallows." [me: smile fading]  Suddenly, my rocking secret recipe seemed, well, kinda lame.  Shake it off, it is still amazing, and here it is.

Fannie May Fudge
4 cups Sugar
1 cup whole milk
1/2 lb butter cubed
1 tsp vanilla
24 large marshmallows
16 oz choc chips
16 oz hershey bar chopped (I used dark and milk choc)
2 oz bakers choc chopped 
You can add nuts but be warned it will ruin the whole batch!

Spray jelly roll pan with cooking spray, set aside.  Put all chocolates in large glass bowl and microwave until melted.  I set power at 80% and zap for 1 minute, check, stir, repeat until melted.  If you are good at multi-tasking this can definitely be done while doing the other half.

In large pot combine sugar, milk, butter, vanilla over medium heat.  Stir until dissolved.  You might need to up the heat a bit toget it to boil. Stay on top of it whisking for two minutes.  I turned heat back to medium or lower once at a boil.  

Remove from heat, add marshmallows.  Stir until melted.  Pour in melted chocolate and stir until well combined. (add nuts at this point if you want but yucky - Sue would add to half)  Pour into jelly roll pan and allow to cool.

umm you will have more fudge than you'll know what to do with!  Promise.

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