Easy Fudge without the "Fudge"

As you already know from reading my previous post, my mother and I love to bake around Christmas time.  Every year my mother would make the most amazing dark chocolate fudge, but this fudge was special because it didn't take hours to make and didn't have to be heated to an exact temperature in order to turn out correctly.  Every year I would make the dark chocolate recipe to give to family and friends as presents, and look longingly at it knowing I couldn't eat it.  Sigh.  One thought kept popping into my head every time I made the fudge, why couldn't I try this recipe with a different baking chip that I could eat, say white chocolate?  Last week I finally gave it a go, and I ended up with two new great easy fudge recipes that I could even enjoy!  These recipes are so simple, turn out great, and make perfect gifts, oh and we can eat them too!  What more could you ask for in a fudge?!

Foolproof Fudge (White Chocolate Peppermint Variation):

3 cups (18oz.) white chocolate chips

14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (I use Eagle Brand)

1/2-3/4 cup crushed starlight peppermint candies, or crushed candy canes

1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

1) In microwave safe dish, melt chips and milk.  Heat until melted (about 2 minutes on high) stirring every 30 seconds or so.

2) Remove from microwave once melted, and in same dish stir in peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candies.  

3) Pour evenly into 9x9in square pan lined with wax paper.  Chill 2 hours in fridge.  

4) After chilled, turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut into squares.  


Foolproof Fudge (Salted Butterscotch Variation):
3 cups (18oz) butterscotch chips

14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (I use Eagle Brand)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Kosher Salt

1) In microwave safe dish, melt chips and milk.  Heat until melted (about 2 minutes on high) stirring every 30 seconds or so.  (The butterscotch chips don't melt as well as others, I heated for 3 minutes and still had some chunks of chips, but it gave the fudge some texture, so I just left them.  Just be careful not to overheat, chips will burn eventually)  

2) Remove from microwave once melted, and in same dish stir in vanilla extract.  

3) Pour evenly into 9x9in square pan lined with wax paper.  Sprinkle top with desired amount of Kosher salt.  Put into fridge immediately and chill 2 hours, to prevent salt from melting.  

4) After chilled, turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut into squares.


**You can store at room-temp, in fridge, or freeze to keep for later.  If you freeze, be sure to defrost in the fridge to prevent too much moisture on fudge exterior.**