A box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day is nice, but nothing beats fudge! Sugary and decadent, fudge just might be the perfect sweet for your Sweetie! And what better way to show you care than with a homemade DIY gift, made with love, right in your own kitchen? No worries if you’ve never made candy before. With a little know-how, fudge can be as easy to make, as it is to eat!
Follow this recipe to cook up some simple chocolate (or chocolate peanut butter) fudge for Valentine’s Day, and then personalize your gift to your heart’s content with delicious add-ons! FYI, you might want to make a double batch in case your Valentine does not want to share!
How To Make A Pound Of Fudge
Start by lining an 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with wax paper, and generously grease with butter.
Melt a teaspoon of butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat to coat. Add 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar, a 5-ounce can of evaporated milk, and a stick of salted butter (if your Valentine loves peanut butter, substitute ½ cup of creamy peanut butter for regular salted butter). Once your ingredients start to boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for five minutes, stirring consistently to prevent burning.
Turn off the burner, and then add 2 cups of mini marshmallows, 1 cup of good quality, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a half-teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to your pan. Fold them into the mix until everything is smooth and melted and then whisk by hand for 2 minutes.
If your Valentine loves plain fudge, go ahead and pour the contents of the pan into your prepared baking dish, and spread evenly. Cover the dish with foil and set your fudge in the refrigerator to cool for at least two hours, or until firm. If you want to get creative and have a little fun, add one (or a few) of these goodies to the mix before pouring it into the baking dish to set:
Add-Ons
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Hazelnuts
- Pistachios
- Macadamia Nuts
- Crystalized Ginger
- Bacon
- Pretzels
- Crushed Potato Chips
- Dried Cherries
- Dried Cranberries
- Dried Apricots
- Chopped Dates
- Crushed Candy Cane
- Andes Candies
- Mini M&Ms
- Chopped Peanut Butter Cups
- Chopped Rolos
- Crushed Butterfinger
- Mallow Bits
- Cookie Pieces
- Brownie Pieces
These are just a few suggestions, and you may even have a few ideas of your own, so be creative and have some fun with it! Once your fudge has firmed in the refrigerator, cut it into bite-sized squares and store in a decorative, airtight tin. Fudge will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a month.
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