Kyle Gunn
Easy, tasty fudge that makes a perfect Christmas gift
Deputy Culture Editor – Food &
Drink
You know you’re getting well into adulthood when the giving of gifts at Christmas excites you almost as much as the receiving. But it can be difficult to find perfect gifts that keep your bank account happy too – this fudge may be the answer. Fifteen minutes in the kitchen and you have a thoughtful, homemade (and affordable!) gift for 2 or 3 friends. Adding in some roughly chopped pistachios and sweet cranberries give it a particularly Christmassy look, the green and red resembling little festive jewels in the snowy white fudge.
My favourite thing about this recipe is that it’s customisable: the cranberries and pistachios can be swapped out for pretty well whatever you fancy. I’ve often subbed the cranberries for glacé Morello cherries and added in some almonds, but the basic ratio of chocolate to condensed milk can support dozens of different additions. An 8×8 square tin is best for this quantity, but if you don’t have one just use an ordinary rectangular tin and make a little dam halfway across with tinfoil before lining it.
- Ingredients
500g white chocolate
397g can condensed milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract
65g dried cranberries
Christmas Spirit
1. Line your tin with baking paper. Roughly chop the cranberries and set them aside.
2. Break the white chocolate into a medium-sized saucepan, and add the condensed milk and vanilla. Melt over a low heat, stirring gently so the chocolate doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan and burn.
3. As soon as the mixture is melted, take it off the heat and gently stir in the cranberries. Be careful not to stir too much—overworking the mixture once it’s melted can make the chocolate seize up and go solid. Pour the fudge into the lined tin, smooth over the top, and put it into the fridge for 3-4 hours (or overnight) until it’s set.
4. Cut into squares with a sharp knife, wrap the pieces in grease-proof paper, tie with a Christmassy ribbon with festive abandon, and gift to your adoring friends.
