Procrastination is something that I have become very good at.
Last month Aimee (from Shugary Sweets) and I decided to share a caramel hot chocolate treat with you on the same day in late January. So, I have actually had this caramel hot chocolate fudge made and sitting on my computer since the beginning of December. You would think that with that much time I would have the pictures edited and in a draft just waiting to post. Of course not! That would be too much planning ahead for me. Last night I sat down and edited the pictures, and that's where I stopped. I mean I had all Sunday afternoon to finish it 😉
So this morning I got up and went to uploaded the pictures into my draft before church, and it wasn't working. The internet was down! I tried again after church and still nothing. So here I am at Starbucks with my handy little laptop that my husband got me for Christmas and a USB drive. Thank goodness for free wifi, so I can still post on time.
I would like to think this will teach me to plan ahead a little better....but I know myself, and I know that I will probably still wait until the last possible minute again.
One thing that I love about the winter is all the hot chocolate. Of course we drink iced hot chocolate during the summer, so it isn't much of a change. We buy a big container of hot chocolate mix because our kids go through it way too fast to buy those little boxes with 10 packets in them. Although the big container encourages them to use big scoops of the mix, so I don't know if we are really saving anything.
So, when I saw the big container sitting in the cupboard, I knew that I wanted to make a whole bunch of yummy hot chocolate flavored treats for you. I hope you are prepared for lots of hot chocolate goodness. Haha! That sounds like I have so many things to share...in reality it is just 4 recipes. I was going to share them all in one week, but I haven't decided if I'm going to do that. Maybe I will space them out. I guess you will just have to come back every day to see what I decide to do. I actually have 2 real food items I want to share too...decisions, decisions. #lifeofablogger
This fudge looks really complicated with all the swirls but it is so easy to make. The easiest thing to do is start with the hot chocolate layer. Once that is all melted and creamy, you turn the heat on low so it doesn't set up in the pan. Get another pan out and get the caramel layer started. After you have both layers all ready, you can start swirling. I like to line my pan with parchment paper. The paper lifts right out of the pan and peels off so easily. I tried wax paper one time. Not a good idea to pour hot fudge onto a wax paper! I had to get creative and use a blow dryer to melt the bottom of the fudge just enough to peel off the wax paper. Just an FYI for you to remember.
Start by pouring half of the hot chocolate fudge into the pan. Drop half of the caramel fudge by spoonfuls onto the top of the hot chocolate layer. Take a knife and gently swirl the caramel fudge through. Don't swirl too much or you will start to loose your colors. I think the contrast of this fudge makes it so pretty!!! Repeat the layers and swirling with the rest of the fudge.
Now this is where you have to have patience. Place the dish in the refrigerator and wait a few hours. I know...this is tough. I like to make the fudge up late at night, so it can set up overnight. Then when I get up the next morning I can pull the pan out of the refrigerator first thing. This gives it time to come to room temperature while I am getting ready for the day. This fudge is easier to cut if you let it come to room temperature. I run the knife under very hot water and it cuts right through it like butter. You will also want to clean the knife off between cuts. That isn't necessary but it will keep your fudge clean looking. This is also a soft fudge, but don't worry it will hold it's shape very well. Just keep it in a sealed container on your counter.
My youngest absolutely loved this fudge. He came in the office last night when I was editing these pictures and he got really excited. He said, "Mom, that was the best fudge you ever made." If that doesn't convince you to make it, I don't know what will.
I still have half a container of hot chocolate mix left, I think I need to surprise my little guy with another batch of this caramel hot chocolate fudge. I can't wait to see his smile when he sees it in the kitchen again!!!
Recipe
Caramel Hot Chocolate Fudge
Soft hot chocolate fudge swirled with a caramel fudge
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate Layer
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- โ teaspoon salt
- โ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup marshmallow cream
- โ cup dry hot chocolate mix
For the Caramel Layer
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ยฝ Tablespoon unsalted butter
- pinch salt
- โ cup caramel sweetened condensed milk
- ยฝ cup marshmallow cream
- ยฝ cup miniature marshmallow bits
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or foil.
- In a large saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, butter, salt, and sweetened condensed milk for the hot chocolate layer. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Add the marshmallow cream and the hot chocolate mix. Stir until melted and creamy. Reduce heat to low.
- In another saucepan, combine the white chocolate chips, butter, salt, and sweetened condensed milk for the caramel layer. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Add the marshmallow cream and caramel mix in. Stir until melted and creamy.
- Pour ยฝ of the hot chocolate fudge into prepared pan. Drop ยฝ of the caramel fudge by spoonfuls onto the hot chocolate layer. Swirl gently with a knife.
- Repeat with the rest of the fudge. Sprinkle the top with the marshmallow bits. Refrigerate until set.
- Remove from the pan and let come to room temperature before cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 1g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Renea
I love caramel, hot chocolate, and fudge. What a wonderful creation! I would love it if you linked up to Manic Monday
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Wow these look so good, I love the combination of chocolate and caramel. I love that the caramel has white chocolate chips in too, sounds irresistible!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thank you Rosie! This fudge was very irresistible!!!
Tonia@thegunnysack
YUM, Jocelyn!! I love anything chocolate and this combination sounds sooo good!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen
I am such a procrastinator also! This fudge is well worth the wait! Yum-o! Thanks for linking at Show Me Your Plaid Monday's
Liz Fourez
My favorite things all bundled into one amazing fudge recipe... YUM!
Love Always,
Liz
Carolina HeartStrings
Wow, such delicious recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Karly
I do my best work under pressure. So, yeah. That would be me at Starbucks panicking about running out of time. ๐
This looks fab!
The Quiet Mom
So, so good. I absolutely love this. It's just that... too beautiful to eat!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction
I love baking with hot chocolate, this sounds highly addictive!
Jocelyn Brubaker
It was so addicting. I think we ate the whole batch in one day ๐
Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama
I need to get some of those itty bitty mallows in my life.
sally @ sallys baking addiction
i'm not a very good planner either Jocelyn. Like, the worst ever. I don't even know what I'm going to post this week in my saved up recipes and photos lol. oh well! This caramel fudge is gorgeous! Love all the pretty swirls. You have so many outstanding fudge recipes Jocelyn!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Sally! It is good to hear that I am not the only one who waits to the last minute to choose what to share here!!!
Emily @ Sweet Bella Roos
Loving this! I agree you and Aimee should team up more.... but send the goodies out to the rest of us ok?? ๐ I always have big plans to get my posts ready to go, but it never happens ha-ha. If I have one saved and ready to go in my drafts I feel like a rockstar.
Jocelyn Brubaker
I would feel like a rockstar too if I had one saved...that just never seems to happen.
Vanessa
That looks good! I have trouble waiting for the fudge to set...half the pan is usually eaten before it's done. Setting. The waiting is the worst part, lol!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Waiting is definitely the worst part of fudge! I always want to dig in way before it has time to harden ๐
Erin Branscom
Oh my goodness, those look so amazing! Great job!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
You are the QUEEN of fudge, my friend! And how is it that yours always look so picture-perfect and GORGEOUS?! This is no exception! The swirls, the salted caramelness, the mini marshmallow garnish .. I'm in love!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks lady!!! You are making me blush!!! This was definitely drool worthy fudge!!!
Liz
I know all about procrastination Jocelyn - you're not alone! ๐ I wish I could reach through the computer and grab a piece of your fudge - looks delish!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I am glad that I am not alone in procrastinating!!! I keep saying I am going to do better, but that just never happens. I wish I had more fudge to share!!!
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos
I'm LOVING this combo - looks insanely delicious!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
It was a combo worth repeating again. Thanks Becca!!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
What an amazing fudge Jocelyn!! And oh, internet woes. It always goes out when you need it most. Thank goodness for Starbucks and Panera!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I was definitely loving Starbucks and my laptop yesterday! Nothing like the internet being down to show you how addicted you are though ๐
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Looks great and I just saw Aimee's post! I know what you mean about thinking you have enough time to get a post done, edit, etc...and then, bam, chaos. When we travel and we're gone for a month at a time, I am always at the mercy of unstable internet connections that can be down for day(s) and have learned the hard way to schedule my posts to go out when the internet is up, just in case. That's provided I'm done with them. Which is easier said than done ๐
Jocelyn Brubaker
It all sounds so good in my head and I have good intentions of working ahead and having things scheduled. I just never get that far. Things like pinterest and facebook tend to distract me from finishing my edits and posting!!!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
I love that you made fudge!!! I wish I had a piece of this for myself though. You know. To try and test and give feedback!!!It looks amazing, but one has to be sure of the flavors and all!!! Anyways, yummmers, we need to do this again!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Next time we need to mail each other samples, so we can know exactly how good the other one's stuff is. Sound like a plan???