VANILLA MACADAMIA NUT FUDGE: National Macadamia Nut Day

Today is National Macadamia Nut Day, so here's a great recipe for Vanilla Macadamia Nut Fudge.

This recipe comes from the Nestle Toll House site. I've adapted it using real vanilla extract and Guittard White Chocolate. Make sure you're using 'real' white chocolate and not the fake stuff!

VANILLA MACADAMIA NUT FUDGE

Ingredients

Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups White Chocolate chips or 2 cups chopped white chocolate (make sure they're 'real')
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow crème (marshmallow fluff)
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (must be fresh)*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp coconut extract

Directions

LINE 9-inch-square baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Grease foil with butter. Butter sides of 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan.

COMBINE sugar, coconut milk, and 1/2 cup butter in prepared saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan, making sure bottom of thermometer doesn't touch bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue boiling at moderate, steady rate without stirring, until thermometer registers 238° F, softball stage (about 15 minutes). Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil. Remove from heat.

STIR in white chocolate until melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow crème, nuts, vanilla, and coconut extracts until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan; cool for 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

LIFT from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces. Store tightly covered.

National Fudge Day: Fudge Recipe Round-up & S'mores Fudge

Today is National Fudge Day. I love fudge, and I've posted lots of fudge recipes over the past year or so. I thought I'd do a round-up of some of those fudge recipes and add a new one for S'mores Fudge. I know what I'll be making today.

Goldie's Fudge
Foolproof Dark Chocolate Fudge
Peanut Butter Fudge
Vanilla Macadamia Nut Fudge
Nigella's Chocolate Pistachio Fudge
Walnut Fudge
Triple Chocolate Sour Cherry Fudge
Bailey's Irish Cream Fudge
Creamy Chocolate Fudge
Chocolate Coffee Fudge
Philly Fudge

Here's a new recipe for National Fudge Day! Add it to the S'mores recipes from National S'mores Day!

S'mores Fudge

There are lots of recipes out there, but I'm not good with a candy thermometer, so I was more than happy with the results from this recipe adapted (only slightly) from nosetotailathome.com.  If you're looking for organic marshmallow creme, try Toonie Moonie or Ricemellow Creme... or go for the old American Marshmallow Fluff.

Ingredients
2 & a 1/2 cups sugar
1-7 oz jar marshmallow creme
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sweet butter
12 ounces dark (65-75% dark chocolate, broken) or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 small bag mini-marshmallows (rough measurement/experiment!)
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp sweet butter, melted

Start with these directions, and you'll think you're at the campfire making s'mores:
The night before you make the fudge, spread the bag of mini- marshmallows out on a fireproof surface  take a kitchen torch to them. Make sure you get a toasty color all over to maximize the smokey taste. Cool for a few minutes and then put in a bowl, cover with saran wrap and put in freezer overnight.

Here's where it gets even more interesting:
The next day preheat  oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter, and mix together with the crumbs in a 11 x 7 inch pan. Press mixture onto the bottom and up the side of your pan, using your hand or the back of a spoon. Bake crust for 8 minutes and then let cool.

In a very large glass bowl, combine sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk and butter. Put the bowl in  microwave for two minutes. Take bowl out and whisk mixture until even. Put  bowl back in microwave and do another two minutes. After four microwave/whisks, beat in chocolate and vanilla until well blended. Pour over your graham cracker crust, and then remove your frozen toasted marshmallows and carefully press into the setting fudge. Set, cut and serve.

It's like being at the campfire, especially with the smokey marshmallows!