Easy to make Rocky Road Fudge:
Who the FUDGE celebrates Easter without a beautiful slab of fudge? “Not I!,”says this candy lover. This rich, bite-sized soft candy is an Easter time staple and has been for as long as I could remember. I like to call my recipe easy to make Rocky Road Fudge and I”l tell you why…..
When I was much younger, my Great Grandmother Presley used to always have a little plate of fudge on her coffee table when guests would arrive for a “feast day.” I loved this tradition, but was too intimidated by all the tinkering with candy thermometers and reaching certain temperatures in order to make proper fudge. That’s until I realized adding vegan marshmallows to the mix would help make it fool proof. Then I was able to throw those thermometers to the side and not worry about reaching certain temperatures. Marshmallows make this recipe so easy, even a novice can feel confident there will be no mishaps. I’m especially fond of the addition of whipping cream, which gives my fudge such a creamy, smooth texture and really is the secret weapon to building up that chocolate flavor. I couldn’t stop there, I had to make my fudge rocky road flavor, because as beautiful as my grandmother’s fudge used to be… it needed a little boost. This recipe has that chewy bite, nutty crunch, and fruit note that makes it oh so good. Hello decadence!
Ingredients for easy to make Rocky Road Fudge:
- Non-stick baking spray
- 2 – cups sugar
- 6 – tablespoons salted butter
- 4 1/2 – cups vegan marshmallows
- 1/2 – cup half and half
- 3/4 – whipping cream
- 1 – teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 – cups chocolate chips (use either milk or semisweet or a combination of both)
- 1 1/2 – cups whole almonds
- 1 – cup dried cherries or cranberries
Directions:
- With parchment paper line a 9×13 inch glass baking dish and spray generously with non-stick baking spray. Set to the side.
- Spray a sauce pan with nonstick spray, and place over a medium-low flame. Add in sugar, butter, 3 ½ cups vegan marshmallows (Reserve additional cup to the side), half and half, and whipping cream. Stir until marshmallows are melted. This will take about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Raise the flame to a medium high and bring to a boil. Boil mixture for 4 minutes.
- Remove sauce pan from flame and place on a work surface, then add in vanilla extract and chocolate chips. Mix until all chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add almonds and dried cherries to the chocolate mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Pour 1 cup of marshmallows into the bottom of the sprayed baking dish spread them out evenly to fit the entire bottom of dish. Reserve about 10 for the top of the fudge. Then scoop the chocolate/almond/cherry mixture on top of the marshmallows.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the pan to reach the outer edges.
- Decorate the top with reserved marshmallows and almonds or anything else you feel like throwing into the top.
- Allow the fudge to cool at room temperature for 5 hours or overnight.
- Carefully remove fudge from pan by pulling it up and out of the pan from the sides of the parchment paper and lay onto a flat surface.
- With a sharp knife cut into desired size. I cut mine into 2- inch squares.
- Enjoy!
