Rachel Ray's Fudge

OK..... I enjoy cooking shows and amazing food, but I dare not cook for others..... I really cannot stand Rachel Ray, but I did watch her make fudge on Oprah..... Holiday week, I was feeling frisky and had a very weak moment in need of a chocolate fix as my diet does not start until mid January..... I confess that I did make her fudge today - not complicated at all...... so, here it is..... if anyone has a traditional and amazing recipe to share, I'd welcome it!


INGREDIENTS

* 12 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup butterscotch chips
* 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 8 ounce can walnuts, plus more for topping
* 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants (a couple of handfuls)
* candied red and green cherries to decorate top (like holly)
* softened butter to grease an 8 inch round cake pan


1. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter. Pour the chocolate and butterscotch chips, condensed milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to low.
2. Cover the empty condensed milk can with plastic wrap and put it in the center of the round cake pan.
3. Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes. Stir in nuts and raisins. Scoop the fudge into the cake pan all around the plastic-covered can in the center to form a wreath or ring shape. Let it be all bumpy on top. Keep pushing the can back to the center if the fudge moves it away from there. Cut the red cherries in half with scissors and the green cherries into quarters. Use the green pieces to make leaves and the red to make holly berries. Decorate the fudge with several groups of holly berry sprigs made from the cherries and garnish with walnuts between the sprigs.
4. Put the fudge in the fridge and chill until firm. Remove the can from the center, then loosen the sides and bottom of the fudge with a spatula. Cut the fudge into thin slices to serve.

To give the wreath as a gift-wrap in cellophane and secure with a bow or ornament.

Variations:
White Chocolate Wreath with Pistachio
and Cranberry

* Substitute the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, 1 1/2 ounce bag plus 1 cup.
* Substitute 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shelled natural pistachio nuts for walnuts.
* Substitute 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries for currants.

Goober and Raisinette Wreath

* Swap butterscotch for peanut butter chips
* Swap large whole peanuts for walnuts used in original recipe (such as peeled Virginia Peanuts)
* Swap 1/2 cup large raisins for currants in original recipe

Looks good to me, Paulo. Of course, if it is anything chocolate, it calls my name anyways.

Looks yummy, Paulo.

Given that there's so much sugary stuff elsewhere in the recipe, I'd be tempted to substitute 12oz baker's chocolate (the super-dark, unsweetened kind) for the 12oz of semi-sweet morsels. But I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate.

-Paul W.

Looks yummy, Paulo.

Given that there's so much sugary stuff elsewhere in the recipe, I'd be tempted to substitute 12oz baker's chocolate (the super-dark, unsweetened kind) for the 12oz of semi-sweet morsels. But I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate.

-Paul W.

That might be a great idea, Paul. I think I may use less butterscotch chips and follow your suggestion. I like the walnuts. I could not find dried currants, so I used raisins, which I do like, but I may need to go to Whole Foods for the currants.

Depends on whether you like light or dark fudge. I'm a dark chocolate fanatic, so I prefer dark fudge. I'm not up on the details of what makes fudge tick, but I would assume that means more dark chocolate or cocoa and less milk in the overall mix.

We need a fudge expert to chime in and set both of us straight.

-Paul W.

Paulo - What I noted in your post is that your diet does not start until mid January. Is that anything like my diet that is always starting in the middle of the next month?

Paulo - What I noted in your post is that your diet does not start until mid January. Is that anything like my diet that is always starting in the middle of the next month?

Well, yes and no; I leave for Italy on the 8th and come back on the 16th, so, the diet starts on the 17th.

Looks yummy, Paulo.

Given that there's so much sugary stuff elsewhere in the recipe, I'd be tempted to substitute 12oz baker's chocolate (the super-dark, unsweetened kind) for the 12oz of semi-sweet morsels. But I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate. -Paul W.

Paul,
that substitution is an excellent idea. I copied the recipe giving Paulo credit naming it Paulo's chocolate fudge. (Can't stand RR) and the unsweetened dark chocolate just seems to stand out, besides I really do not need any more sugar.

I think dried cranberries would be great in it too.