Chocolate Cherry Fudge

I don’t make fudge often. My BIL is pretty darn good at it, and it’s not generally a big favorite of mine. But when I read this recipe for fudge with cherries, I had to try it. I love cherries. When they’re fresh for a piddling couple months here in Oklahoma, Bob and I can spend our whole grocery budget on them. When we can’t get them fresh, dried or frozen works, too.

I made some changes on the recipe (I usually do). It called for dark chocolate chips, which I think is just a total waste of good chocolate. I also added nuts. If candy’s worth making, it’s worth adding pecans or walnuts, right? The original said to stir the mixture until the marshmallows were completely melted, and I’d rather have a bit of substance left to them. And next time I make it, I’m going to add cherry extract just to ramp up the cherry flavor a bit.

All in all, though, a recipe worth the time. I’d show you a picture, but we ate it all before I thought about the camera.

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Chocolate Cherry Fudge

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 5-ounce can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 10-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 ounces dried cherries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon cherry extract (can use vanilla instead)

1. Line an 8″ square baking pan with foil. (I used a foil pan instead, turned it upside down in Step 3, the fudge fell out and I threw the pan away.)

2. In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

3. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, dried cherries, extract and nuts. Pour into baking pan and refrigerate until firm. Remove from pan using the foil edges and cut into squares.