Chocolate Butter Fudge

Meghan Williams's Note:

This is a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth fudge that is rich, decadent, and wonderful! It is an adaptation of Theresa/Thunderbird's Butter Pecan Fudge Butter Pecan Fudge. (Thanks Theresa!)

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 25

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (I like dark brown)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup ghirardelli's ground sweet chocolate (& Cocoa)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar (sifted works best, but you don't have to)
• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted (optional)

Directions:

1. If your pecans aren't toasted, you'll want to do that first - you can do that by throwing them in a skillet with a couple tbsp butter (this is in addition to the butter needed for the fudge) and sprinkling them with brown sugar - cook them over medium heat until brown. Allow them to cool on wax paper while you make the fudge.
2. Please note: if you decide not to include the pecans, consider doubling the recipe - if you don't, the fudge will only be a little over 1/2" deep.
3. Grease an 8x8 pan.
4. In large pot, put butter, cream, sugar, salt, and ground chocolate and over medium heat stirring frequently until boiling lightly.
5. Reduce heat slightly - just enough to keep a low boil - and continue boiling for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
6. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and stir in vanilla then powdered sugar (a little at a time).
7. Beat until smooth (if you didn't sift your sugar - it won't go completely smooth, but will still taste great).
8. Add pecans and pour into 8x8 pan.
9. Cool for 30 min or until set (put it in the fridge for faster setting.
10. Slice and enjoy :).
11. A fun modification to the recipe is to prepare it without the pecans, allow it to set until soft, then roll into one inch balls, put them in the freezer until hard (about 30 min), and then roll them in melted white, milk or dark chocolate chips. Then allow them to set (the fridge can speed that up). The white chocolate set the best. See the picture above.

Reviews

[Ginger Rose]

These are nice but I think I'll do it in a double boiler next time as its got a weird consistency : more crumbly than smooth! Otherwise the recipe is really easy and it sets really well...thanks!

[Rachchow]

This fudge is really good! I made balls and dipped the tops in melted unsweetened dark chocolate. A substitute for the ghiradelli's ground chocolate is to do half cocoa and half granulated sugar. That worked just fine. Will make again.