Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge capitalizes on one of the world’s great flavor combos ~ this homemade fudge is sophisticated, quick and easy, and definitely giftable.
*This post is sponsored by Peanut Butter & Coâ„¢ ~ thank you for supporting me and my brand partners, I am picky about the company I keep here at tvfgi and I only work with brands I use and love.
Fudge is unique unto itself. Sure, it’s sweet, and it’s chocolatey, but that’s only half the fun. Few foods can compete with the silky texture and mouth feel of a square of fudge. This, combined with the fact that it’s incredibly easy to make, means that fudge is the perfect food gift. Anybody can whip it up, all you need is a microwave, a bowl, a spoon, and a pan. But don’t let all that simplicity fool you ~ on a table of desserts, or in a box of holiday treats, fudge is always the first to go!
TIP: Fudge freezes beautifully, so wrap it well, and stock up your freezer for the holidays.
This particular recipe has some extra perks, like deep dark chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, and my secret ingredient, Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread. This stuff is a-mazing ~ you know what I mean if you already know and love the famous brand hazelnut spread. Talk about mouthfeel! But honestly, I prefer the flavor of Chocmeister, and it has the added benefit of 25% less sugar, and half again as much protein as the other brand. It comes in dark and milk varieties, and I’m partial to the dark.
If you ask me, any great fudge recipe has to include nuts, and when it comes to nuts, I have just one thing to say ~ roast ’em! Unroasted nuts are bland and sort of chewy, but a simple dry toasting in a 350F oven brings out incredible flavor and crunch. It only takes 10-15 minutes, so don’t skip it.
TIP: After you’ve roasted hazelnuts, you can easily remove the bitter skins by rubbing them in a clean dish towel. The skins will fall right off.
Once your nuts are toasted this fudge comes together in a snap. I use the microwave, but you can also do it in a saucepan on the stove. You’ll heat the condensed milk to a simmer, and then add in the chocolate and stir until melted. Then in goes the Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread and a bit of extract. I fold in the nuts last, and then spread the whole luscious lot into my pan.
I purposely wrote this recipe so that you’d have some Chocmeister Dark left in the jar for snacking. You’re welcome 🙂
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 10 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or almond extract
- cocoa powder, for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Set oven to 350°F
- Prepare an 8×8 baking pan by lightly spraying, and then lining with foil or parchment with longer overhanging edges so you can lift out the finished fudge for cutting.
- Put the nuts on a dry baking pan and toast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, tossing the nuts once during baking. Remove and allow to cool. Rub the nuts in a clean dishtowel to remove the skins before giving them a rough chop.
- Pour the condensed milk into a large microwavable bowl (or in a saucepan on the stove.) Don't bother to scrape every last bit out of the can. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on high power, or until the milk is bubbling.
- Add the chocolate to the bowl (off the heat if you are doing this on the stove) and stir to melt the chocolate. Stir in the Chocmeister spread, and the extract. Reheat the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds if necessary to get everything melted and smooth.
- Fold in the toasted nuts.
- Spread the fudge in the prepared pan and even out. Refrigerate until firm. Dust the top with cocoa powder if you like, and cut into small squares.
Nutrition
Could you use Nutella instead?? I’m not sure they make the mentioned spread anymore! At least I can’t manage to locate any. ??
Yes, I think that would be fine.
Looks beautiful!
This looks delicious! Definitely making this as a holiday treat!
Wow, these look really tasty. So tasty, I’ve now pinned it for later!
My eyes are watering, this looks heartbreakingly good! Gimme this and a season of Gilmore Girls any day 😀 x
Anything chocolate with hazelnuts is the way to my heart. This fudge is sublime!
This fudge looks amazing!
Thanks Lisa <3