“Five Minute Fudge”

The holidays are truly a tuff time to find a little extra spare time to sit and write. Between regular meetings, our children’s special Christmas programs, annual holiday parties, and Church events time is limited. Sometimes we get so busy we lose sight of having fun and enjoying the moment. Life becomes a “going for point A to point B”. This week seems to be one of those weeks were every day is a rush from one thing to the other.

Recently, during the thanksgiving weekend, I read through some emails asking for ideas for something to make that’s quick, easy, and delicious. Many people were complaining that with all of their busyness they find it difficult to prepare items for potlucks, dinners, and various other get together. With the onslaught of events that I have attended and will be attending in the coming few weeks I revert to one of my favorite recipe for the quick holiday treat. Rachel Rays “Five Minute Fudge”

Let me protect my man-ness for a few lines. I’ve not always been overly jazzed about Rachel Ray. To some degree, I avoided her shows on the Food Network. I just never could stomach the term “EVOO” or other phrases she coined. I did, however watch a biography of her once and I was impressed with her upbringing in the kitchen. Something I could relate with. Right after the biography she had a special holiday show where she helped a friend prepare a Christmas party for co-workers. It was fairly down to earth and limited “EVOO” phrases made it bearable. This show is where I discovered the recipe for the “Five Minute fudge”. I thought to myself, “Wow, that looks fairly quick and pretty easy and to make.”

So, I set out on the web and found her recipe on the Food Network site. The ingredients are simple and depending on you, the price can vary on the total cost. You can chose to buy high end chocolate or you can just buy whatever is on sale for the holidays. Chocolate is almost always on sale during the holidays. You can use your favorite nuts that are also always on sale during the holidays as well.

When I did this recipe the 1st time I did it just like Miss “EVOO” suggested and did it like a wreath. But after it was done it looked to me rather plain. A few weeks later I made another and I decided to use a bunt pan for a mold. Only issue I had was it didn’t seem to have a lot of height for presentation so I just doubled the recipe and POOF! I was satisfied. I finished it off sometimes with powdered sugar, fake mistletoe, and when I was really pressed for time I just sliced it up and fanned it a little and called it good. Either way you do it, people will enjoy this fudge. Hope you enjoy too.

Five-Minute Fudge

1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate morsels

9 ounces (3/4 of a 12-ounce bag) butterscotch morsels

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce) can walnut halves

1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) currants

8-inch cake pan, lightly greased with softened butter

Candied cherries, red and green, for garnish, optional

Directions

Place a heavy pot on the stove and preheat it over low heat. Add chips and milk and stir until chips are melted and milk combined. Save the empty condensed milk can. Stir in vanilla and remove fudge from heat. Add nuts and currants and stir in immediately.

Cover empty condensed milk can with plastic food wrap and center it in the greased cake pan. Spoon fudge into pan around can, making sure to recenter can if it drifts.

The fudge will set up almost immediately. Garnish can only be added in the first minute or 2 the fudge is in the pan, so work quickly. Decorate your wreath with "holly" made from cut candied red and green cherries. A wreath left plain can be garnished with a pretty fabric bow when serving. Chill covered in the refrigerator and slice fudge very thin when ready to serve, a little goes a long way.

Happy Beginning of the Christmas season! 

Finito!