Chocolate Fudge with Pistachios or Walnuts

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

As part of my holiday gift package, I'm making chocolate fudge which is a first for me. I'm not really a fudge fan although I've had my fair share of fudge tasting every now and then. I'm making a simple version where it is not required that I do a song and dance while making the fudge. I say this because I've seen fudge prepared by a group of 6 or 8 men and women while doing a song and dance routine in specialty fudge shops at Frankenmuth, Michigan. I guess they attract more customers this way. While entertaining, I think me dancing alone in the kitchen says something else other than fudge making. 

Taken from a recipe in my cookbook, Chocolate Ecstasy, I'm quite excited to give this recipe a try. I'm just hoping it is as tasty as it looks on the picture in the book. The recipe calls for pistachios which is what I used for one of the batches while I used walnuts for the second one. This was not just to test which one is better but to offer some variety in the bag of home-made candy to be given away as gifts. 

Chocolate Fudge with Pistachios or Walnuts - Adapted*

Fudge with Walnuts
Copyright 2011 LtDan'skitchen blogs

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 can condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup pistachios or walnuts

1. Grease and line an 8x8 
    pan and set aside. 

2. In a pot over medium 
    low heat, combine the 
    butter, sugar and milk 
    until the butter has melted. Continue to cook until the temperature 
    reaches 230°F. Stir occasionally. 

3. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Stir very quickly. Add the 
    chocolate and the nuts and stir very well until the mixture is smooth. It 
    will start to set so work quickly and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth 
    the top and spread evenly. 

4. Once set but still warm, mark the squares with a metal spatula and allow 
    to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container. 

Note: The soft ball stage is at 240°F but since I'm cooking in an elevated area, it comes a bit earlier so I ended up adding the rest of the ingredients at 230°F instead. 

*France, C., Chocolate Ecstasy, Sweet Water Press, Alabama: 1996.