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Fudge is a delicious treat that is surprisingly easy to make, even with limited ingredients. If you’re looking for a foolproof fudge recipe that you can make at home, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to make fudge alongside some tips to consider when making homemade fudge. Keep reading to find out more. This recipe only requires three ingredients (see Amazon ingredient prices via links), and an optional ingredient. Chocolate chips - This fudge recipe calls for three cups of chocolate chips. The main thing is that you make sure that the chocolate is of good quality, as cheaper chocolate chips can alter the taste of the fudge. Sweetened condensed milk - For this recipe, you will need one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. When you’re making a treat like fudge, you might as well do it right, so I suggest that you opt for regular sweetened condensed milk and avoid the fat-free kind. Butter - In its simplest form, you can make this fudge with just chocolate and condensed milk. However, having tried and tested this recipe a few times, adding just a couple tablespoons of butter can help to create a much silkier consistency. Chopped nuts - Some people love them, some people hate them, so the chopped nuts in this recipe are entirely optional. You can stick to your favorite nuts, experiment with different nut combinations, or opt for the chopped walnuts that are suggested in this recipe. How To Make Fudge Equipment You’ll Need (see Amazon prices via links) Baking parchment 8-inch square baking dish A saucepan A wooden spoon A sharp knife Ingredients 1 can of sweetened condensed milk 3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons of butter 1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional) Instructions Step One - Line A Baking Dish Before you get started, you will first need to line a baking dish with baking parchment. Make sure that you leave a slight overhang so that the fudge is easy to remove from the dish. Set aside until you need it later. Step Two - Melt Ingredients In A Pan Next, you will need to combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Make sure that you are careful to stir the pan continuously until the chocolate chips are fully melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Step Three - Add Mixture To Prepared Baking Dish Once all of the chocolate chips have melted, you will need to remove the pan from the heat and scoop the mixture into the baking dish that you prepared earlier. You will need to spread the mixture evenly with a knife. Step Four - Refrigerate Your Fudge Once you have an even layer, you will need to refrigerate the fudge for at least 3 hours or until the fudge is firm enough to cut into sharp pieces. Step Five - Cut Your Fudge Into Even Pieces Once the fudge has been chilled enough, it’s time to cut it into even pieces. Remove it from the pan using the overhang of parchment paper, and use a sharp knife to slice the fudge. At this stage, if the fudge is too soft, when you come to cut it, you’ll be left with a melted mess! Step Six - Enjoy Once you’ve cut up the fudge into equal pieces, it’s time to dig in and enjoy! This fudge will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week provided that it is kept in an airtight container. If you know that you won’t be able to eat all of the fudge in this batch, then you can always freeze it! When kept in an air-tight container, this fudge will freeze well for up to 3 months. When you want to eat it, make sure that you plan ahead and thaw the fudge overnight in the refrigerator. Notes On This Fudge Recipe Chocolate chips - For this recipe, I prefer the results with semi-sweet chocolate chips. However, if you would prefer white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, they will work just as well. That being said, this will alter the flavor. Chopped nuts - If you want to add chopped nuts to your fudge, it doesn’t have to be walnuts. In fact, you can use any nuts of your choice! Alternatively, if you have a nut allergy or would just prefer to leave nuts out of the recipe you can also do this. Recipe Variations There are a variety of different ways you can alter this fudge recipe to accommodate more people’s tastes. Peppermint fudge - For a peppermint fudge, you can use dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate chips and add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract for a perfect holiday treat! Cookies and cream fudge - To make cookies and cream fudge, simply swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and add in a cup of crushed Oreos. Cranberry pistachio - For cranberry pistachio fudge, you can use semi-sweet or white chocolate chips and add crushed pistachios and ½ cup of sweetened dried cranberries. Tips When Making Homemade Fudge While the ingredients are all melting together in the pan, make sure that you are being careful to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan and stir continuously. This will prevent anything from sticking to the pan and minimize the risk of burning your fudge. This fudge will soften slightly when it is placed at room temperature. Bearing this in mind, for the best results, it’s best to keep your fudge refrigerated until you’re ready to enjoy it. When making fudge, make sure that you plan ahead. This fudge will take around 3 hours to fully firm up in the refrigerator, so you can even prep this the night before to ensure that it is ready for your guests. In Summary Fudge makes a lovely treat or a gift for a loved one. Hopefully after reading this article you have a better understanding of how to make fudge. Get creative in the kitchen and experiment with different flavor combinations. Good luck making homemade fudge!