Strawberry Swirled Fantasy Fudge (made in 8x8-inch pan)
This Strawberry Swirled Fantasy Fudge is super creamy with flecks of vanilla bean and swirled with strawberries. It makes a wonderful gift!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons pure strawberry extract
- ½ rounded teaspoon red gel food color I like the No-Taste red food coloring from Wilton
- 3 cups sugar
- ¾ cup butter I use salted
- ⅔ cup half and half*
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips**
- 1 7- ounce jar marshmallow creme***
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste**** The vanilla bean paste adds amazing flavor, but you could also use regular vanilla for this.
Instructions
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Combine red food color and strawberry extract in a small bowl. Stir well till gel is dissolved, then set aside. If you have trouble dissolving the gel, microwave the mixture for 10 seconds on high power, then stir again.
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Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, ends of foil extending over sides. Spray pan with cooking spray and rub with a paper towel. Set aside. Also spray a small thin-bladed knife with cooking spray (a butter knife works well for this). Set aside.
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Combine sugar, butter and half and half in a sauce pan (at least 3 quart-size) over medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly (don't mistake bubbling at the edges for a full boil). Cook for exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
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Add white chocolate chips, cover pot and allow to sit for 1 minute, then stir until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla bean paste. Stir again until smooth and well mixed.
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Pour approximately half of mixture into prepared pan. Spread to cover bottom. Using a small spoon, sprinkle ½ of strawberry extract mixture in random drops over the surface of the fudge. Quickly pour the other half of the fudge mixture over the red food coloring. Spread evenly. Drizzle the other teaspoon in random drops over the top.
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Using the side of the prepared knife, run it back and forth through fudge creating a swirled pattern. Once you get a pretty swirly pattern, stop. If you swirl too much the whole mixture will turn pink. Cool completely (if you're in a hurry, like I usually am, refrigerate fudge till cool). Use the foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into squares.
Recipe Notes
*If you live outside the U.S., you may not be familiar with half and half. It's a convenience product frequently used in coffee here in the States. It's simply half milk and half cream.
** Marshmallow creme is a light, creamy marshmallow mixture that's sold in jars. If you can't find it, you can make your own. Try this version from AllRecipes.
*** Use a good quality white chocolate chip. How do you know if it's good? Check the label - one of the first ingredients after sugar, should be cocoa butter. Many of the so called "premium" chips don't have any cocoa butter. I really like the chips from Trader Jo's which you can purchase at their stores or online.
****I love vanilla beans but they are frightfully expensive and tend to dry out if you don't keep them carefully stored. Vanilla bean paste is essential vanilla beans that have been scraped out of the pods. It's not cheap (about $10-12 for a small jar) but it has the equivalent of A LOT of vanilla beans so it's really quite economical. I always keep it on hand. It's not always easy to find. Whole Foods carries it as well as Williams Sonoma. You can also get it online.