No Fail Five Minute Fudge from Carnation is one of my favorite fudge recipes. It is the go-to recipe when I have marshmallows and perhaps half a can of evaporated milk to use up. Unfortunately, I have managed to ruin this "no fail" recipe a time or two -- usually because I've tried to halve it and make it in a loaf pan. With this recipe, any changes in equipment, pan size, ingredients, etc. can change the outcome of the recipe. In this case it's best to err on the side of under-cooking rather than over, unless you like grainy fudge.

Five Minute Fudge Chocolate Chips

For great results, the key is to use darker chocolate chips. Guittard Semisweet Chips and Ghirardelli Bittersweet chips work really well, as do Nestle's Dark Chocolate Chips, which are less sweet than their regular semisweet. I've included a few more tips with the recipe and hope that those of you who have failed no-fail recipes will be successful with this one.

Recipe

No Fail Five Minute Fudge

Cookie Madness

Five Minute Fudge This is how I make Five Minute Fudge. If for some reason it comes out too dry, make it again and knock a minute or two off the boil time. If it's two soft (even so it will still be good), add a minute.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 14

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups 9 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips**
2 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans optional
1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Line an 8 inch metal pan with foil and grease with some butter.
Put the vanilla, chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a heavy 3 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt; bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring continuously. Starting when the mixture hits a boil, set the timer for 4 minutes and reduce heat to the lowest temperature at which the mixture will maintain the boil, then boil gently until timer rings.
Remove from heat and gradually add the boiled mixture to chocolate chip mixture. I do this in thirds rather than all at once -- ⅓ and stir, add ⅓ and stir and ⅓ and stir until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour, then chill until 4 hours or overnight. Lift from pan and cut into 1-inch squares. Store in refrigerator or freezer in a sealed container.

Notes

**Good quality chips are less likely to seize when you add the hot mixture. I like using Guittard.

After making this recipe as written, I took another shot at making half batch, loaf pan size versions and found that with the half batch, you only need to boil the sugar mixture for 1 minute.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Comments

I love hearing from other bakers and appreciate helpful comments. Rude ones will be deleted immediately.

Anna

February 22, 2015 at 6:11 pm

You worked in the test kitchen at Carnation? That sounds like a very fun job.

I think the secret to this recipe is just coordinating the time, temp and right pot, but overall it's more forgiving than other fudge recipes. I like it a little better than Fantasy Fudge because it's not quite as sweet.
Cheryl

February 22, 2015 at 6:07 pm

I have been making this Carnation Fudge since 1982 or 83 when I worked in the test kitchens at Carnation in Los Angeles. One Christmas season in the test kitchen I made 12 batches in a day or maybe it was 2.
Anyway I cook it 4 minutes and 20 seconds with a medium boil to make it come out perfect. But it is tough without using a thermometer.
In fact I keep it on medium on my gas stove from the start. This year I got distracted and needless to say I had an overcooked batch!
Anna

February 21, 2015 at 12:47 pm

I've never given up anything for Lent but the Internet says you have to go without it for 40 days. That's really not so bad. At least you're not doing something crazy like giving up sugar completely ;).
Darlene

February 21, 2015 at 12:10 pm

Anna, this fudge looks delicious, but I gave up chocolate for Lent. Don't feel badly for me though, I'm celebrating National Sticky Bun Day with a warm fresh batch of sticky buns bought from the Amish bakers at our farmers' market.