Equipment Needed
- Medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- 8×8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I line my 8×8 pan with parchment paper, letting some hang over the sides. This little “sling” is my biggest tip for easy removal later—trust me, wrestling set fudge out of a pan is no one’s idea of a good time. Then, I pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk into my saucepan and set it over the lowest possible heat on my stove. Low and slow is the mantra here; we want to warm it gently to avoid any chance of scorching the milk on the bottom.
Once the milk is warm to the touch, I dump in all two cups of chocolate chips. This is where the magic starts. I start stirring almost constantly with my wooden spoon. I watch as the chips slowly lose their shape, melting into the milk to form a thick, luxuriously glossy chocolate lava. The smell is absolutely divine. I keep stirring until the very last chip has vanished and the mixture is completely smooth and unified—this usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
The moment I take the saucepan off the heat, I stir in that teaspoon of vanilla extract. The aroma intensifies wonderfully. Then, I quickly pour the molten fudge into my prepared pan. I use the back of my spoon to spread it into an even layer, getting it into all the corners. Now, for the festive touch: I immediately shower the top with those bright Christmas sprinkles. If you wait even a few minutes, the surface will start to set and the sprinkles won’t stick, so be prompt here!
This next step requires patience, which I famously lack. I let the pan sit on the counter for about 2 hours until it’s firm to the touch. I’ve tried speeding things up by popping it in the fridge, and while it works, it can sometimes cause the fudge to sweat or become a bit too hard. Room-temperature setting gives it the perfect, creamy bite. Once set, I use the parchment paper sling to lift the whole slab out onto a cutting board and slice it into small squares.(See the next page below to continue…)