Remember when I made all those candied walnuts and told you I put them in a super yummy fudge? And I promised I’d share the recipe with you before the holidays? Well…here it is! You’re welcome. Although…I guess if you’re trying to watch your girlish figure, then I should probably be saying “sorry for tempting you.” ‘Cuz these little fudgy morsels are pretty much the height of decadence and temptation.
Smooth, luscious fudge topped with crunchy candied nuts and caramelized sugar bits…you take one bite and immediately get hit in the taste buds with rich, bold chocolate flavor. Then your brain processes the crunch of caramelized sugar as you bite through the layer of candied walnuts, and you savor the contrasting but complementary sweetness of the sugary nuts and smooth chocolate. Just before everything gets too overwhelmingly sweet, the sea salt kicks in and rounds it all out.
Phew. Sorry about your diets, y’all.
At least you can maybe pawn some of this fudge off on your holiday party guests?
And did I mention how easy these are to make? Aside from the candied walnuts (which is a separate, but equally easy recipe), this fudge only involves 4 ingredients, and comes together insanely fast. Just throw everything into a pot, stir until melted and smooth, pour the melted chocolate into a lined dish, and refrigerate! No tempering, no candy thermometers – easy peasy.
And if you don’t want to top your fudge with candied walnuts because you’re pressed for time and can’t be bothered to make a whole other component/recipe…that’s cool too! Use whatever you want! Or, don’t use any toppings at all and just serve your guests straight chocolate-y fudge – I promise you they won’t mind.
If you are interested in trying other toppings, might I recommend Gimme Some Oven’s kettle chip/caramel fudge? Her recipe was actually the inspiration behind mine, but I didn’t have any kettle chips in the house at the time so I had to improvise. I also briefly toyed with the idea candied bacon, but got distracted by the TV and never got around to it. Oh well. Next time!
Merry (early) Christmas, everyone! Hope you all have a fun and feast-filled holiday season (and get lots of nice gifts). Thanks for hanging out all year with me here at Just Putzing Around the Kitchen! Keep your eyes peeled for more awesome recipes after the holidays (NYE cocktail, maybe???).
In the meantime, if you’re still looking for some holiday cooking inspiration, maybe my recipe archives can help get you started:
- Drinks
- Appetizers
- Entrees
- Side Dishes
- Desserts
- DIY Gifts
- Breakfast (for Christmas morning!)
- 3 cups (18 ounces) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 batch candied walnuts
- Sea salt
- Line the bottom and edges of an 8x8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
- In a saucepan, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk and eat over medium-low heat until the chocolate chips are completely melted, stirring often.
- Add vanilla and stir to mix well.
- Once the mixture is thick and shiny and smooth, pour it evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Scatter candied walnuts all over the surface of the fudge and press them down gently (so that they'll stick).
- Scatter a light sprinkling of sea salt over everything (how much you want to use is up to you).
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until the fudge is chilled and firm.
- To cut the fudge, carefully lift up the parchment or foil and transfer the block of fudge to a cutting board. Peel back the parchment or foil, and then use a large knife to slice the fudge into your desired size of pieces.
- Enjoy!
(Inspired by and slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven’s recipe)
Yeahhh girl. I want this! How well do you think fudge will handle the mail? (Also – NYE candied bacon topped fudge? I vote yes).
I’m a sucker for easy fudge. Especially when you throw candied walnuts in the mix. Pinned!
I love fudge! Your recipe looks amazing! Love the addition of candied walnuts!
Thanks! 😀