Cherry Hazelnut Nutella Fudge

Here's another recipe I made for my birthday party. I just had to have something chocolaty at my birthday!

 

This is the third time that I've made fudge. Each time keeps getting better. This is my favorite by far! And all my guests loved it.

My birthday guests also loved the "party favors" I made. Mustaches on the end of candy canes!

And I must admit that I had a lot of fun making them. I saw a post on craftgawker and then found out how to make them via Morena's Corner. Pretty simple. Get candy canes and brown pipe cleaner aka bump chenille sticks. Hold two together and cut in the middle. Take the halves that match each other in length and twist the ends together. Then twist the middle onto the end of a candy cane and use any type of glue to glue on. Style as you wish. (For best shape, curl the ends around a pencil.)

 

Back to the fudge: The combination of dried cherries, hazelnuts, and nutella with some sea salt on top was just perfect. If you want to impress guests, try this easy and yummy fudge recipe.

Cherry Hazelnut Nutella Fudge (found on Annie's Eats)

½ cup hazelnuts
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. coarse sea salt flakes, plus more for sprinkling
½ cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 250˚ F. Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly toasted and the skins have cracked. Transfer the hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel. Fold half of the towel over the top of the hazelnuts and roll them around gently to help remove the loosened skins. Transfer the skinned hazelnuts to a cutting board and chop coarsely. (Erika's Extra: I used a paper towel and had a hard time getting the skins off. Keep with it though. They will come off!)

 

Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with foil and grease lightly with butter. Set a heatproof bowl over a pot with a few inches of simmering water (do not boil). In the bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, chocolate, Nutella, butter, and salt. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fully melted and smooth.

 

Remove the bowl from the heat. Add the toasted hazelnuts and dried cherries to the bowl and fold in until evenly combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. After it has cooled for a few minutes, sprinkle lightly with additional sea salt. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3-4 hours.

 

Use the foil to lift the fudge from the pan. Remove and discard the foil. Use a large chef’s knife to slice the fudge into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container.

Bake well and prosper! 

Cookies and Cream Fudge

The last time I made fudge (2008) it was kind of a let down.

This recipe was NOT a let down. If you like good tasting and super sweet fudge, THIS is the fudge for you. And since it's super sweet, it's easy to serve tiny pieces which is great for sharing at a party or at the office. (Speaking of which, these were a big hit at my office. People loved them!) 

Cookies and Cream Fudge (from the always lovely cookies and cups) 

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
1 t. vanilla
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 cups crushed Oreos (about 30)
1 cup coarsely crushed Oreos (about 15)

Line 9x9 square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray evenly
In a medium saucepan combine butter and sweetened condensed milk.
Heat over medium heat until mixture is boiling, stirring constantly.
Continue to stir while boiling for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in Fluff, white chocolate chips, vanilla and 2 cups crushed Oreos.
Spread into prepared pan.
Now sprinkle 1 cup coarsely crushed Oreos on top and press gently into fudge.
Chill for 1 hour and cut into squares!

Erika's Extras: I only used a little more than a cup of crushed Oreos in the recipe. Also, to make these less sweet next time, I think I would use a little less sweetened condensed milk. But only a LITTLE less. I also used marshmallows (which I heated in the microwave for 20 seconds) instead of fluff and they still turned out fine.

Bake well and prosper!