Chocolate Walnut Fudge
Every summer of my childhood, my family drove from whatever state we were living in at the time to go camping with my grandparents and aunts in Island Park, Idaho. It’s just outside of Yellowstone National Park and one of the most beautiful places in the country. I loved camping, fishing, hiking, and seeing buffalo, bears, moose (mooses?), and other wildlife. But the highlight for me was going to the Playmill Theater in West Yellowstone. During intermission, the actors and actresses came out hawking goodies for the audience to purchase and I would get a big square of walnut fudge. Don’t miss any of my fan-favorite candy recipes that are perfect for sharing with friends and neighbors like my English Toffee, Old-Fashioned Divinity, or Homemade Peanut Brittle! Or to try my other fudge recipes, be sure to check out my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge, Easy Chocolate Fudge, and Rocky Road Fudge! Chocolate walnut fudge is something I typically only make at Christmas nowadays, but it tastes like my memories of childhood and summer. It’s one of my all-time favorite treats and as much as I love Christmas cookies, I would take a piece of chocolate walnut fudge over a Christmas cookie any day. There are a number of methods and recipes for making fudge, but my favorite approach uses evaporated milk and marshmallows. It’s so easy that it’s practically foolproof.
How to Make Chocolate Walnut Fudge
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Walnut Fudge
Cook over medium heat. It takes a little time to cook the fudge to the right temperature and then to let it set up. Don’t increase the heat too much beyond medium or you will run the risk of burning the fudge. Use a heavy-bottomed pan. If you struggle with candy-making, once possible reason might be that the pan you are using isn’t heavy enough. You want a pan that will disburse the heat evenly so no part of the fudge cooks faster than others. Don’t rush the process when the fudge is setting up. You might be tempted to stick the fudge in the freezer to try to get it to set up faster. But homemade fudge sets up as it cools down and this won’t happen properly if frozen too soon. Fudge needs about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator to set up all the way so it can be cut into blocks or squares. Coarsely chop the walnuts. I don’t like my walnuts to be too finely chopped so I never use a food processor (affiliate link) or other tool to chop the nuts, other than a large knife and cutting board. A coarse chop to break them up is all the walnuts need for this recipe. A foil or parchment paper sling is a lifesaver. Seriously, don’t skip this step. It’s so much easier to slice fudge cleanly when you can lift the entire slab out of the pan and slice it on a cutting board with a large knife.
Storing and Freezing Fudge
Fudge is creamiest and at it’s best when fresh, but it can be stored on the counter at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. Keep it wrapped up in plastic wrap or in an airtight container to keep it from drying out too quickly. It also keeps best in larger blocks, rather than being cut into small squares, which dry out faster. Stick your fudge in the refrigerator if you want it to last longer (up to 3 weeks), although it will be more firm when it is chilled. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. I can never decide if I prefer ultra creamy room temperature fudge or firmer chilled fudge. For longer term storage, you can also freeze fudge for up to 3 months. Just be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap, then again in foil to protect it. Defrost the fudge in the fridge overnight or on the counter at room temperature for a couple hours before serving. Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
The BEST Homemade Brownies
Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
