I’m always up for some simple, quick chocolate fudge. I enjoy making the more time consuming versions as well, but when all you want in the world is a piece of fudge and you want it today, this kind of recipe can come in really handy!

Easy Chocolate Fudge
adapted from Cooking for Engineers

4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional).

~ Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line with parchment or wax paper, letting edges of paper hang over sides of pan.

~ In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over (not resting in) simmering water, combine all ingredients except nuts. Mix just until melted and well combined. (Alternatively, use a microwave on low power to melt ingredients, stopping every 10 to 20 seconds to mix well.) The mixture should be heated as little as possible. Mix in nuts, if using.

~ Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Lift fudge on paper out of pan and use a large knife to cut into squares.

Makes 16 two-inch squares.

[image: flickr]

This recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Cake comes from the Seattle Times, and is so intriguing that I’m going to head out this afternoon to pick up the ingredients I don’t have so I can make it for dessert night tonight. It would figure that the one time I run out of eggs in months would be when I really need them most!

Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Cake
2 bars (3 1/2-ounces each) bittersweet (about 70 percent) chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee melted in 3 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
Generous pinch …read more

Nestle-owned Wonka candy is giving its customers something they’ve wanted for a decades: a real-life Willie Wonka golden ticket contest!

The golden tickets will only be included in bars Wonka’s Exceptionals line of chocolate. Though the grand prize isn’t a trip to the chocolate factory to see how things are made behind the scenes, ten lucky grand prize winners will get a trip around the world with three companions and three stops anywhere they want.
First, second, third and fourth place winners will receive anything from airline vouchers to free chocolate bars. Winning game pieces need to be entered into the site …read more

The recipe below for a Chocolate Dark Cherry Martini was sent to me this past weekend as a reminder of American Chocolate Week, which is March 12-21. This alcoholic drink needs some prep time though, so get started on it the night before as the cherries and vodka need to sit together overnight.

Chocolate Dark Cherry Martini
5 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz chocolate liqueur
20 fresh cherries
1 ea chocolate covered cherry
1 oz shaved white chocolate
~ In a plastic container, mix 5 oz of vodka with 20 stemmed and seeded cherries.
~ Blend and strain until smooth consistency. Let mixture sit over night. …read more

It’s my favorite time of the week — not only a day for resting and relaxing with my family, but I get to peruse my favorite food and cooking blogs for tasty chocolaty recipes and ideas. The links below are some of my favorites from this past week!

~ K-Bars at Clutzy Cooking
~ Spicy Chocolate Covered Apple Bananas at Nutrition to Kitchen
~ Cocoa Rum Roulade at Chocolate Dust
~ Chocolate Covered Peeps Reviewed at Candy Blog
~ Coconut Chocolate Pudding at Vanilla and Lace
~ Vegan-ish Sandwich Cookies at Everybody Likes Sandwiches
~ Chocolate Pudding Pie at Handle the Heat
~ Bailey’s Chocolate Pot de Creme …read more

Fudge is such a wonderfully versatile treat to make. You’ve got your standard recipes that include no extras, and then you’ve got the more complicated variations with nuts, marshmallows, peanut butter, and even dried fruit bits. You can even “mix and match” a combination to get something that suits everyone.

This recipe for an easy chocolate peanut butter fudge couldn’t be easier. With only four ingredients, you’re sure to have everything already on-hand and with just a few minutes of prep and cool-down time you’ll be enjoying some yummy chocolate peanut butter fudge.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
1 pkg (8 squares) Bakers semi …read more

Chocolate truffles, despite how decadent and fancy they may be, are actually quite simple to make. In the video below, pastry chef and NAIT Culinary Arts instructor Nigel Webber demonstrate how easy they are and even give a little background info on how truffles got their name.
Traditionally made from dark chocolate melted and blended with cream and then rolled in either cocoa powder, nuts or whatever else you can find, truffles are a lot more versatile these days than when they were when they were first created! How do you prefer your truffles?

I’ve never heard of drop fudge brownies before, but it makes sense if you think about it: Brownie batter is so thick that it would definitely work being plopped on a cookie sheet by the spoonful instead of baking in a brownie pan. The brownie-cookie hybrid also cooks a bit faster and is a lot less messy than traditional brownies, in that you don’t need to cut them, use a fork, or even clean a pan if you use parchment or a silicone baking mat!

Pair these up with the brownie frosting from this morning (just dip them in!) and you’ve …read more

Do you like your brownies with frosting? I do, but my family doesn’t, oddly enough, so I don’t make it very often. There are times where the kids will ask for it when I make brownies for dessert, but that’s rare. When they do want it, I make sure I’ve got the ingredients on-hand for this super simple recipe for a yummy fudgy chocolate brownie frosting. It makes about two cups, perfect for a pan of cooled brownies!

Brownie Frosting
2 squares semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
~ In a small saucepan melt butter …read more

Today is Chocolate Covered Nuts Day, and would probably be one of my husband’s favorite holidays — that is, if he knew about it! He will by tonight, though, because I plan to make this yummy chocolate covered almond bark for dessert. I think this would be really yummy with cashews and even walnuts or pecans.

Chocolate Covered Almond Bark
2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
12 ounces chocolate/chocolate chips
~ In a heavy sauce pan, boil almond slivers, sugar and water over low to medium heat until all the water is gone and the sugar crystallizes on the nuts.
~ Pour …read more