Peppermint Patty Fudge

Christmas Cookie Countdown Day 4 – Peppermint Patty Fudge 

Technically, fudge is not a cookie, obviously, but fudge is such a big part of my Christmas gift giving, I had to include it in my Countdown. Some years, when I feel I don’t have enough time to bake, I always seem to find the time to make fudge. Fudge is easy and fast. You can whip up a batch in under thirty minutes.

As I’ve told you, I grew up with chocolate-butterscotch fudge, and I suspect it will always have a place in my Christmas candy repertoire, but this Peppermint Patty Fudge is also finding its way onto my list every year too with its creamy texture and minty taste. My daughter requested it this year.  

Peppermint Patty Fudge 
Adapted from Southern Food
Printable Recipe
4 cups granulated sugar
1 twelve-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup butter (two sticks)
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped peppermint patties

Line a 13-x9-x2-inch pan with aluminum foil, and grease thoroughly with butter. Set aside.

Combine sugar, milk and butter in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and add the marshmallow cream, chocolate chips and vanilla, stir to blend. Pour half the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle chopped peppermint patties over the fudge mixture. Spoon the remaining fudge mixture over the top of the peppermint patties. Gently swirl the mixture with a knife to mix in the peppermint patties. Chill until firm and cut into 1-inch pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Christmas Cookie Countdown Day 1 – Pecan Tassies
Christmas Cookie Countdown Day 2 – Chocolate-Orange Crackles
Christmas Cookie Countdown Day 3 – Molasses Crinkles

Chocolate Butterscotch Double-Decker Fudge

It must be close to Christmas since I’ve made my grandma’s double-decker fudge.  My dad insists my grandma made this fudge by mistake when she didn’t have enough chocolate to make a full batch of fudge.  I have my doubts.  My grandma didn’t have a reputation as a good cook, so I think the things she did well are even suspect.  No matter how she came up with her double-decker fudge, I loved it as a kid, and it always makes me think of Christmas.  I try to make it every year.  This year I’m going to package it up and give it away as teacher and hostess gifts.

I made two batches this year.  My family, though secretly delighted, thought I was crazy making so much fudge.  How soon they forgot last year’s debacle! 

Christmas time last year, I had plans to give fudge as teacher and hostess gifts too.  I made one batch of double-decker fudge.  I scored it, covered it tightly and left it on the counter while I went to work.  When the kids and I got home, we noticed the foil I left covering the fudge was now suspiciously on the floor.  The glass dish was still on the counter, so I thought we had dodged a catastrophe.  But, on closer examination, I saw a dog’s tongue-width groove etched in the butterscotch layer.   The whole batch had to go into the trash!  Thank you, Chipper!

I’m afraid I’m scarred by the whole incident, so I went a little overboard this year, and made two batches of fudge.  I have also placed a dog-proof barricade in front of the fudge, so we don’t have a repeat of last year. 

Chocolate Butterscotch Double-Decker Fudge

Adapted from the original Fantasy Fudge recipe.

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Fudge Layer

3 cups sugar

1½ sticks of unsalted butter

2/3 cup of evaporated milk

12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

7 ounce jar marshmallow cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Butterscotch Fudge Layer

3 cups sugar

1½ stick of unsalted butter

2/3 cup of evaporated milk

12 ounces of butterscotch chips

7 ounce jar marshmallow cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with aluminum and spray with cooking spray, set aside.

Add the butter, milk and sugar to a heavy 2 ½ quart sauce pan, and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Once the mixture reaches a roiling boil, boil on medium heat for 4 minutes still stirring constantly, so the mixture doesn’t scorch.  Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the chocolate chips.  Once the chips have melted, add the marshmallow cream and the vanilla, and stir until completely combined.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Repeat with the butterscotch chips (using a clean sauce pan).  Pour the butterscotch mixture directly over the chocolate layer. 

When the mixture has set slightly, score the top into one-inch increments.  Once the fudge has completely set, cut using the score marks.  Store in an airtight container.