Required Tools

• Unlike traditional fudge recipes that rely on a candy thermometer, Carnation Famous Fudge doesn't require special equipment. You probably already have everything you need, which includes a baking pan, a heavy-bottom saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, and a spoon for stirring. Line the baking pan with foil or parchment paper to make fast work of removing the fudge once it sets. Arrange the liner so it overlaps the edges of the pan for easy lifting.

Basic Ingredients

• The Carnation recipe contains granulated sugar, chocolate morsels, marshmallows, a small amount of salt, vanilla extract and butter. In place of the cream or milk that's used in traditional fudge recipes, the Carnation recipe uses evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is canned milk that's been put through a process to eliminate most of the water. This decreased water content means the milk has a stable shelf life. In fact, you can store an unopened can for up to a year on the shelf, while an opened can be kept for three to four days in the refrigerator. This same low-water content translates to decreased cooking time, which makes it an ideal shortcut ingredient for fudge.

Making the Fudge

• Combine sugar with evaporated milk, salt and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. In general, for every 1 1/2 cups of sugar, you need 2 tablespoons of butter and 5 ounces of evaporated milk. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it comes for a rolling boil. Constantly stir it and allow the mixture to boil for approximately four minutes before removing the pan from the heat. Stir in chocolate morsels, miniature marshmallows, vanilla extract and nuts if you're using them. Continue stirring until the marshmallows and the chocolate have melted into the rest of the mixture, leaving you with smooth, thick fudge. The classic Carnation recipe uses the same amount of chocolate morsels as sugar along with 2 cups of marshmallows and 1 teaspoon of good-quality vanilla extract for every 1 1/2 cups of morsels. Transfer the fudge to a prepared baking pan, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least two hours. When it’s ready, the fudge is firm to the touch. At this point, you may remove the fudge from the pan and cut it into pieces. Store fudge in an airtight container for one to two weeks at room temperature or two to three weeks in the refrigerator. If you want to freeze the fudge, wrap it in wax paper then in foil before placing it in an airtight container. Frozen fudge keeps for two to four months.

Variations

• The basic recipe may be changed by using different flavor extracts, add-ins or morsels. For example, divide the mixture into two separate heatproof bowls after boiling the milk, butter and sugar together. In one bowl, stir mint chips into the hot base mixture; in the other, stir in milk-chocolate morsels. Place the mint combo in the prepared pan and top it with the chocolate fudge. Alternatively, you could use butterscotch or peanut-butter morsels in place of chocolate chips. Use different types of nuts to change the flavor and texture of the fudge. Or swap mint extract for the vanilla and top the fudge with crushed candy canes.