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I was told by my somewhat better half that I wasn’t allowed to bring the construction crew – that is, the guys who are working on my apartment – any more treats until they picked up the pace. I don’t think the expression “No more monsieur nice guy” exists in French, but that seemed to be the tone of the sentiment expressed.

However being American, I can’t help being a soft touch and have been sneaking the guys treats over there. They’ve had everything from Date Bars to Panforte. Meanwhile back at home, as I am packing up my kitchen cabinets and boxing everything up for my move, I found a jar of marshmallow cream that I brought back from the states a while back, presumably to make some sort of cupcake frosting that I never got around to.

marshmallow cream

So I decided that a little marshmallow fudge never hurt anyone. And in fact, a little sugar is known to speed up the pace of things. Here’s hoping…

Marshmallow Cream Fudge

I altered the classic recipe slightly by using some unsweetened (bitter) chocolate. If you can’t get that, use 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Of course, you can swap out any nuts that you like – or omit them altogether. A number of us DIY-types might inquire if regular homemade marshmallows could be substituted for the marshmallow cream. I haven’t tried it, but if you do, let us know in the comments how they work out.
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk
  • 6 ounces (170g) salted butter, cubed
  • 3 cups (600g) sugar
  • 8 ounces (225g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 ounces (115g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 7 ounces (200g) marshmallow cream*
  • 1 cup 120g) roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • Line an 8-inch (20cm) square pan with foil, leaving an overhang on at least two sides. Smooth out any wrinkles or creases.
  • Put the evaporated milk in a 4-quart (4l) saucepan and fix a candy thermometer to the side.
  • Add the evaporated milk, butter, and sugar to the pan, and heat – stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn – until the temperature reaches 234ºF (112ºC).
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, as well as the unsweetened chocolate and marshmallow cream.
  • Stir in the peanuts, then scrape the mixture into the foil-lined pan. Let cool for at least four hours.
  • Once cool, lift the fudge from the pan, and cut into cubes.

Related Links and Recipes

Vegan Fantasy-ish Fudge (101 Cookbooks)

Homemade Marshmallows

Making Your Own Evaporated Milk (She Simmers)

Evaporated Milk (Wikipedia)

Chocolate FAQs

White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats with Candied Peanuts

Organic Ricemellow Cream (Suzanne’s Specialities)

Candy Thermometers

*I realize that marshmallow cream has some dubious ingredients in it. But desperate times call for desperate measures and it really seemed to speed things up. And lo and behold, I went over to the apartment this morning and the plumbing in my kitchen is nearly completed, they’re installing a wc, and there is a hot water heater firmly in place. So please excuse any lapse in judgement, but I really need my kitchen done. (There’s an all-natural alternative in the links above.)

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117 comments

    • Stephanie @labelleinfrance

    Normally I’m not a fan of marshmellow fluff. But I have to say this looks absolutely delicious! Reminds me of rocky road fudge I used to have as a kid :) Happy Valentine’s Day!

    • Kathryn

    We’re going to start some construction work in France in a couple of months so I shall remember this helpful tip to speed things along!

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      I have one extra jar of marshmallow cream, which I would send you – but I’d better keep it just for “insurance” – !

    • Three-Cookies

    Interesting strategy. I’ve noticed different reactions. In some countries when treats are presented in work situations everyone will wait till break time. In other countries everyone drops what they are doing, make tea and work becomes history. I hope in your case its the former not latter

    • Miss K

    Hey, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do in order to get things done in Paris – I am totally going to try some sugar-based bribery the next time something in my flat needs to be fixed! Although that fudge looks so good, I’m not sure I could keep from eating it all myself…

    • Cathg1g2

    Oh how wicked! Love this recipe.
    I baked muffins, even portioned off some tagine for my builder…whatever it takes.

    • Kelly-Jane

    I think I have a jar of fluff lurking in my cupboard….

    • gu

    If you pay in food, can I help a bit :)

    I d love to try what you cook!

    REALLY!!!

    • Christie

    Quick question…. Did you bring the fluff from the states or did you buy it here in Paris? I’m also an expat in Paris and would love to find it!

    • Nikki

    Like Miss K said, you gotta do what you gotta do. I have done my fair share of bribing with sweets to get things done. My French friends always request rice krispy treats, nothing as snazzy as this though. I might have to switch things up with this. Happy for you that things are progressing nicely, that is either a light at the end of the tunnel your seeing, or a semi so beware;)

    • Marielle

    Flash of nostalgia as I grew up in a family of bakers, sweet lovers. Making and eating fudge was our go-to treat since all the ingredients were in the cupboards at all times. Mom’s recipe was from her junior high home ec teacher and involved the low-tech, yet effective soft-ball stage testing in a glass of iced water.

    Andrew Zimmern’s 2008 visit with you to Bastille Market, etc. replayed on the travel channel last night. Loved it.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Christie: You can find Fluff in many supermarkets in Paris, such as Monoprix. They have it in the “American” aisle – which is a little odd because it’s not something that most Americans eat anymore. But I got mine in the US and was holding on to it for a project that never came to fruition.

    Marielle: Andrew is great and we had a blast at the market in Paris together. Glad you enjoyed it, too.

    Nikki: My French friends love Rice Krispie Treats – a lot.

    Miss K: In my present flat, whenever I call the plumber, the first thing he says when I open the door is, “What flavors of ice cream do you have today?” …

    • Claire

    Seems like a silly question, but what is marshmallow cream? Sounds intriguing but dangerous..

    • Carol L

    Hi David,
    I make this fudge every year at Christmas and everyone always tells me it is the best fudge they have ever had.

    • sandra

    David, with the amount of sugar in that, they should be whizzing around on a real high! I too, have builders in (having a pool) and they get VERY well looked after! Like to keep my builders happy, trouble is, I get tempted too. Does Fluff taste of anything? Is it like the sweet stuff they put in store bought Swiss Rolls?

    • T Hollis

    The fluffy white stuff does have…umm…some of the not-best-for-your-body ingredients, but the fudge is beyond compare! Smooth, creamy chocolate. I feel a sugar coma coming on just thinking about it!

    • Jennifer

    Yum! This is the version of fudge my mother always makes and it’s one of my favorites. I typically cut down the sugar by 1/2 c. and add the marshmallow cream to the milk/sugar/butter and boil them all together before adding the chocolate and nuts. The best part is scraping everything out of the pan and licking the spoon. :)

    • Samantha Angela

    This would definitely get the construction crew going!

    • ileana

    I’ve never used marshmallow fluff, but that fudge looks really good. Hope these encourage your crew! Or at least makes them zippy with a sugar rush.

    • Karen Vicki

    Regular old Marshmallow Fluff is only two ingredients, the same as marshmallow you would make at home, like I’ve done—egg whites and sugar and some corn syrup (and vanilla).I wanted to add that I have made caramels a lot from your recipe (which is the bestest!) and one thing I have done differently that could apply to this: I use parchment paper to line the bread tin I use for the caramels. You can lift them out with it. For the fudge, maybe spread around a drop of an oil like walnut on the paper but my caramels have never stuck. I avoid aluminum in my kitchen.

    I am happy to hear of the progress! Lucky guys to get the treats.

    • Christine

    I wonder if using an Italian meringue would work in place of the Fluff. I may try and see, as I always have eggs and sugar.

    • Thea

    Happy Valentines to you and Romain!
    I have used a very similar recipe for many years and it is requested constantly! This is truly the creamiest most perfect fudge – as all good fudge should be ;-) You can use just plain old marshmallows from the bag too. I use baking parchment instead of foil (no oil needed ever), find it much easier to remove the fudge. Darn you! Now I’m going to have to make some! LOL

    • Shyanne

    Ohh, sinful. David Leibovitz has marshmallow cream?? I guess that means I can indulge and make this treat for Valentine’s Day without guilt… I secretly love those Betty Crocker recipes, too.

    • Debbie

    This looks so good! I just moved to France and did not pack my candy thermometer or I might have rushed right into the kitchen to try this. Though I would have to go buy some of the ingredients as I don’t have Marshmallow Fluff around. I do have marshmallows (brought from the States) & Rice Krispies just waiting for that next bake sale opportunity….

    • Lando

    Deliciousssss! Forget the artificial side of marshmallows. This one is definitely a keeper. Pecans and a touch of citrus, perhaps. Thanks for the recipes =)

    • angela

    How funny, as an English woman living in France, this could not look less appetising (I don’t have a sweet tooth) and yet my Australian friend staying with me, said how delicious it looked, chaqu’un a son gout luckily enough! (now if that was tete de veau or something scrummy like that….!)

    • Cyndy

    Marshmallow cream makes the best fudge. There’s something je ne sais quois about it, as opposed to fudge without. There used to be a recipe for it on the back of Nestle’s chocolate chip packages. We would take it on vacation to the shore every summer and gain 10 pounds in two weeks. I can still recall the sugar shock.

    Wish I were working on your apartment and could be the beneficiary of just a few pieces. It’s too hard to be self-limiting with this fudge!

    • Nancy Oster

    I think the truth is marshmallow cream does find its way into our cupboards. We just have to wear dark glasses and hope we don’t see anyone we know at the grocery store in the next town when we buy it. Happy Valentine’s Day!

    • Linda H

    I use bittersweet chocolate also in my marshmallow fudge. It increases the chocolate flavor and cuts the sweet. My children demand this fudge at Christmas.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Nancy: When I lived in San Francisco, the supermarket was sort of a “minefield” because invariably, if you had something like Oreo’s, frozen pizza, or marshmallow cream in your cart, you’d run into someone you worked with at Chez Panisse – busted!

    Cyndy: There’s a lot of sugar in this which is why I added some unsweetened chocolate. Someday I might tinker around with it…but that will involve me having to buy more marshmallow cream. And the cycle begins again..

    Thea: Good to know it works with regular marshmallows. I assumed it would but haven’t tried it. The parchment paper in France isn’t necessarily non-stick and I’ve had a few “issues” with it. I do prefer paper over foil, in general, though.

    • Alex

    I don’t think regular marshmallows would work as well in place of the fluff because of the gelatin used to set them. However, mini marshmallows are a classic addition to make rocky road or s’more fudges.

    If you can’t/don’t want to buy marshmallow fluff, a meringue should work well. Italian would probably work best.

    • fruitandcake

    Hi, there. I’m new to marshmallows but I think I ‘ll start with yours as it looks delicious. And what day is better to do so than today? Thanks a lot.

    • Lynn at Southern Fried French

    Date bars, panforte, marshmallow fudge? I can’t do much but paint, but I am available, around the dessert hour.

    • Michèle Dextras

    I buy “papier cuisson en feuilles, structure alvéolée”, the make is Albal. Works as well as parchment paper.

    • Linda

    Aren’t you worried that, by providing them with reasons to want to be at your place, you may actually be lengthening the time it will take? Why would they want to finish quickly and move on to another job where they may not be treated (pun intended) so well?

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Michèle: Thanks – I’ve often just bought the store-brand, and was disappointed. I bought a big roll at Metro when I was there a few weeks ago so hopefully that’s better.

    Linda: I’ve learned they operate on their own time-frame, and what makes sense to us, doesn’t always make sense to them. But they are working hard and it’s sometimes messy (and it’s been cold here as well) – so any way I can help (well, aside from getting messy myself…) I’m willing to do.

    • Karena

    I adore Marshmallow Creme and had actually forgotten about it! I know that I do have a fudge recipe that calls for it! Your workers may be slow; however I am sure they adore you!

    Happy Valentines David!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    • Vicky

    Lucky construction crew! I am not a fudge fan, but I am willing to try anything with chocolate !

    • Chez Loulou

    Your construction crew must think that they’ve died and gone to heaven!

    • Sugar Daze/Cat

    OMG, I LOVE fudge and have been looking for a good recipe for a while. I also LOVE marshmallow fluff and have several jars in my house that I use for cupcake frostings. Marshmallow fluff + chocolate + roasted peanuts??? It doesn’t get much better than that! Thanks for what looks like a delicious recipe!

    • Sally Cameron

    We used to eat marshmallow fluff and peanut butter on Ritz crackers when I was a kid. Last time I needed any fluff I made home made. I think the recipe I used was on the Whats Cooking America’s site. So next time you need some, just make it! The fudge looks delicious for a treat. I seldom make anything like this anymore with all of the sugar. Thanks David!

    • Erin Star

    YES! I make this during the holidays every year, it’s always a favorite. I also make a peanut butter version that is so sinful. Bribery by sugar is never a bad idea, and usually seems to work! ;) Hope you and your better half have a great Valentine’s Day. Keep those pics of the new place coming! :)

    • ChefCitron

    Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

    My Mom has been making chocolate fudge with Fluff since I was little girl- and it’s pretty fabulous!!! Fluff is from Lynn, MA (USA), and used to sold only in New England states, but is now available nationwide. So even though the ingredients are not fram fresh, at least for me ion Boston, I can say it’s a “local” product!

    (Someone in my ‘Culture & Cuisine of New England’ class at Boston University’s Masters in Gastronomy program actually wrote a thesis about Fluff!)

    Any-whoo, on the Fluff company;s webiste, it has a fun, free cookbook (link opens to downloadable PDF) with all sorts of wacky fudge and candy recipes- see link below:
    http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/media/pdf/yummybook.pdf

    • Asiya

    I have been wanting to try to make fudge and this looks super easy!

    • Lucy

    That looks like a neat trick, David! I will try it myself while hoping for progress on that terrible list of things that never get done, like the VMC. It looks like they’re making incredible progress already. Good luck with the packing, and I look forward to all of your yummy ’emptying the cupboard’ recipes, good fun.

    • Nicole Hough

    What a perfect Valentine’s Day post! Got the email and went straight to my kitchen and made it.
    Made my own fluff from this recipe: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/marshmallow-cream-fluff-homemade-substitute-copycat-52036.
    The fudge looks sooooooooo good – can’t wait for 4 hours to be up (it’s still warm in the pan. My little daughter is very quietly licking the spatula next to me :).
    Thanks for all your great recipes!

    Also love watching your kitchen renovation. That is what I do for a living (in the US) so it is fun to see your progress!

    Best! Nicole Hough

    • Norine

    Strangely I prefer a more dense, almost gritty chocolate fudge – more praline style. The corn sugar in the marshmallow creme/fluff stuff is what makes it so soft/gummy/creamy. Corn sugar keeps other sugars from crystalizing. I’ve found those too-sweet packaged chocolate chips are really well received in the cookies I make for my auto mechanic. It’s good to be known as the ice cream man or the cookie lady – whatever it takes :-)

    • Heidi

    When I first moved to France, I achingly missed this fudge recipe – it’s total fluff (!) but so good. I use marshmallows with perfect results (except for the colored ones – which seems rampid here). The issue always is measurement – but I seem to work it out. My French neighbors have noo problem inhaling this. ;-) – heidi

    • LorI @ In My Kitchen, In My Life

    I’m admitting it here: Fantasy Fudge (the marshmallow cream recipe) is my very favorite kind of fudge. I know it isn’t the real thing, but no matter — there it is.

    • Liza in Ann Arbor

    I can’t believe you posted this. It’s called “Irma’s Fudge” in my family, after my dear-departed grandmother. They’re sorry that the recipe died with her, but I’ve always secretly known that she got it from the Marshmallow Cream jar! Thanks for the inspiration. I’m going to have to suddenly appear with “Irma’s Fudge” at future family gathering.

    • arline of va

    My thoughtful husband remembered my list of gift ideas and for Valentine’s day, he surprised me a new copy of your book, “Ready for Dessert.” Now that’s a sweet gift that will keep on giving and sharing sweets for a long time! I’ll bake him something with peanut butter from your book for a treat tonight!

    • veranda

    I always use treats to “bribe” folk its the American way!

    ♥ Happy Valentines Day! ♥

    • Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet

    When I was growing up my grandmother used to always make fudge when we came to visit her in Florida. She wasn’t really a good cook (the pickled pigs feet in her fridge to this day freaks me out!) and I thought this was her one culinary talent. I have always had a hard time making fudge the old fashioned way and one day I asked my mom for her recipe and she pointed me towards the back of the marshmallow creme jar. At first my admiration of her fudge was dashed but I never made a bad batch of fudge since! I will have to try your chocolate tweak next time I make it. I think the name of the original recipe that she used was Fantasy Fudge.

    • Claire

    My mother-in-law is ill at the moment but she loves fudge, so I’ve just got to make her some of this – my only problem is knowing what is bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in England. The unsweetened is what we call cooking chocolate but can anyone help with the bittersweet or semisweet chocolate?

    Many thanks

    • slamora

    I’ve made this fudge recipe every Christmas for years with great success. Last year I tried a “Never Fail” recipe, which certainly failed in mine and my daughter’s eyes! Thanks for the reminder of how great this recipe is!

    • Melinda

    That marshmallow fluff has another use: fruit dip (which of course begs the question: why dip fruit in anything besides chocolate?).

    One Christmas I had this at a friends house and thought: hmmm, white-trashy. Then I ate it. Mmmmmm, addictive… and a simple addition to a spread of bits o’ things to nosh on.

    1 jar fluff
    1 brick cream cheese (8 oz), room temperature.
    Blend them till smooth.
    Serve with slices of firm fruit — apples and pears work best

    Not something you’d eat frequently, but surprisingly yummy.

    • Sandy Castro

    Happy Valentine ! David

    • Oakjoan

    EEEEeeeeeeeWWWWWW!

    How could ANYBODY in his/her right mind (and even those not in their right minds) EVER eat even one bite of something called “jet-puffed” marshmallow creme” and probably made mostly from chemicals (I know, I know, everything is made of chemicals, but you catch my drift). I mean I have my ugly secret food loves (peanut butter-filled pretzels, frozen limeade concentrate, etc.) but JET-PUFFED? Real Marshmallow cream – if there is a product that’s “real” and “marshmallow” – sounds pretty disgusting in the first place.

    I’m shocked! SHOCKED!

    • Vicki

    So happy to see your use of a favorite pleasure! When Kraft switched from glass containers to plastic for their marshmallow creme my first thought was how much lighter it will be when I stow it in my suitcase for our annual trip to France. Translation: I now pop three jars into the checked case instead of the usual one. We try to save one unopened jar for French friends who accept our addiction and don’t pass judgement. It’s often their secret ingredient in dessert toppings.

    • Annabel (Mrs Redboots)

    What _is_ marshmallow cream/fluff? In one of my favourite books, the heroine liked marshmallow fluff and raspberry jam sandwiches, which I always thought sounded horrid (but I don’t have much of a sweet tooth), but I have always wondered what it was.

    My mother makes fudge to a similar recipe, but using golden syrup instead of your marshmallow stuff. The family say it is lovely, but I’ve never cared for it. Might be interesting to try your recipe – at least it wouldn’t stink of hot golden syrup, which turns me up – and let the fudge-lovers in the family compare the two, only I don’t think you can get marshmallow whatever-it-is here. Actually, you probably can in American speciality shops, but it’s not something it’s ever occurred to me to look for.

    • Vicki B

    Lucky construction crew!

    • Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi)

    This looks heavenly. Hopefully, it helps them work faster :) Happy v-day.

    • Judy – Overland Park KS

    I’ve been receiving your blog for several months, and I delight in it; no calories in the beautiful pics and descriptions. Once when I clicked on a link and it didn’t go anywhere, there was a big ‘Merde’! at which I began to guffaw. I hope your kitchen remodeling is finished soon and that you love the results. Thanks and Happy Valentine’s Day.

    • Sharyn Dimmick

    I have never eaten marshmallow cream or fluff, although I know people who ate it with peanut butter in elementary school. I do know that you can melt regular store-bought marshmallows and put them in fudge (with lots of bitter chocolate to offset the sweetness). The advantage of using marshmallows is that it assures that the fudge will set — no re-cooking ever. Making fudge is a good thing to do with bags of marshmallows that have been in the cupboard too long. We make our candy in buttered Pyrex pans and don’t bother with any paper, foil or plastic.

    • Dana B

    Mmmmm. Very similar to what I make at Christmas. Made Frosty the Fudgeman this year :) Good luck with the construction crew! Energy is good, especially energy from scrumptious food :)

    • Mallory

    Ooooo chocolate! Although I’m not a fan of fluff, trying the recipe with homemade marshmallows sounds like an awesome idea!

    • Mallory

    By the way I don’t think your link to the “vegan fantasy-ish fudge” is vegan. The recipe has butter in it…Sorry for all you vegans out there who were getting excited. I am sure you could substitute it for vegan margarine though :)

    • Amanda

    I’m with your other half – to get the best out of what we call “tradies” you shouldn’t be too nice to them. Certainly give them the occasional treat to keep them on side, but if they come to expect the sweeties they’ll drag their heels and you’ll be baking for much longer than you anticipated. Especially if you make them wonders like this!

    • hannah

    I had to unsubscribe you for a while because of some kind of technical glitch. I decided to try again few weeks ago, and all’s well. I missed you. Now I see you’re moving to your own place, and I find myself feeling so excited for you. If you could keep us up on all the moving, workman saga, and set up, I bet we’d all be lapping it up – if you’re not too, too, busy….!
    All the best from western Canada, big hugs!

    • Beth

    I remember some of my favorite fudge growing up was the one my mom made with marshmallow fluff. Thanks for this great recipe/memory- I can’t wait to try your version!

    • Sarah

    So I haven’t yet tried this recipe with my homemade marshmallow, but I have decidedly become devoted to the stuff: I used it on Thanksgiving on top of sweet potatoes with such a fabulous effect, that I can’t imagine ever buying marshmallows again! It didn’t vanish the way store bought marshmallows always seems to do.
    I used homemade marshmallow cream to make my traditional New England Whoopie Pies and they too were excellent.

    I am hooked on homemade marshmallow cream.

    Unfortunately I have just made the Orbit cake for my valentine as well as some Macarons today, so this recipe will have to wait until at least this weekend….

    • Crystal

    This is a go-to recipe from my childhood! My mother used to make this all the time. I don’t think I’ve had it in years though. Such nostalgia!!

    • Shari

    Marshmallow creme fudge has always been my favorite, and your recipe is very similar to the one I use. However, I found it odd that you didn’t add any vanilla extract. I’ve always been lazy and don’t chop the walnuts I add to the fudge, and my Mom asked me why the nuts always tasted so much fresher than the nuts she used. I told her that I left them whole, and this way they get sliced right along with the fudge. It really does make a difference.

    • gailllc

    We use this foolproof fudge recipe at the holidays, too. Don’t use parchment, just butter the pan. Throw a hot-water soaked towel underneath for a minute or two when you are ready to turn the fudge out of the pan. The chocolate variety tends to crystallize after just a couple days — add up to 4Tbsp more butter for softer and less crystally results. You can substitute peanut butter for the chocolate, just reduce the recipe butter by 2 Tbsp or so. We make both kinds and get tricky: 2/3 of chocolate batch in one pie pan, 1/3 of chocolate in another; then 2/3 of peanut butter in a third pie pan… and finally, 1/3 of peanut butter goes on top of the 1/3 chocolate for a double decker fudge! YUM!

    • Emily

    Be careful – if they get too used to your sweet treats, they’re going to work even slower so they get to stay on the job longer…. or at least, I would if I were them!

    • Whitney

    Here in Berkeley (land of Chez Panisse), I can’t find marshmallow fluff anywhere! I was looking for it to make a similar recipe that I remembered from childhood. How can it be that you can buy it at Monoprix in Paris and not Safeway, Berkeley Bowl, Andronico’s, CVS or (of course) Whole Foods!?!

    • Margie

    Danger lurks in cyberspace after 10 p.m. This evening I was lured in by the likes of a fella claiming to currently be residing somewhere in Paris. He devised a trap consisting of marshmallow cream and chocolates…

    Trust me, if I find this guy he will have H E double L to pay!

    I do not take lightly to having a diet destroyed by such malicious activities.

    • Suzanne Perazzini

    I’ve never seem marshmallow cream here in New Zealand so all I can do is look and be envious.

    • Terri

    Hi Whitney,

    I live in the Bay Area too, and buy my fluff at Safeway.

    • David
    David Lebovitz

    Amanda: I had to teach him the concept of “good cop/bad cop” – which I think it another thing that doesn’t translate from English to French. But he got the message. And we’re putting in the kitchen cabinets next week. Allegedly.

    Mallory: Heidi’s recipe has does indeed have butter, but she offers a vegan alternative using coconut oil.

    Shari: A lot of chocolate, especially those available in the US, already have vanilla in it. But one could certainly add a dash here. I use chocolate extract, although it’s not readily available so I don’t often specify it in recipes.

    • Kirk

    This is much like what we call the Russell Stover’s Fudge recipe where I come from (around Kansas City). My version is made with semisweet chocolate chips, which may seem a little bourgeois. On the other hand, the recipe card I follow comes from my grandmother’s collection, so I have a soft spot for it. But your variation sounds so wonderfully rich that I will have to try it. Thanks for the post.

    • Skippy

    The recipe on the jar of Marshmallow Fluff used to be called “Never Fail Fudge.” When I was in 7th grade, my sister and I tried to make it and we came perilously close to failing, until our older sister intervened and saved the day. Ever since then, I’ve always avoided marshmallow fluff fudge recipes. If I’m going to fail with fudge, I’m going to go down fighting with the old fashioned type!

    Regarding the people who want to make this with homemade marshmallows–isn’t the point of using marshmallow fluff that it is a shortcut to all the beating you do to make traditional fudge achieve the correct texture? If so, then it seems like using homemade marshmallows would just be doing a lot of extra work to create an ingredient that’s supposed to save work…

    • The Chic Teach

    I might question it if this recipe was on any other blog, but I’m so happy to hear that other cooks use stuff like this from time to time! “Desperate times…” is right :-)

    • Christianne

    Sorry to be so ignorant but… in your horchata recipe, is the rice cooked or raw? I am brand new to cooking and some of the commen sense things just don’t click yet. I love your blog and am learning so much from you. Thank you! I actually purchased The Perfect Scoop a while back and had never made anything in it until a friend was over raving about it. It was then that I realized I already owned it!Everything I’ve made from it has been wonderful.

    • Susan

    I have always been a pain in the butt, fudge snob. It’s my Mother’s fault as she set the gold standard by only making regular cooked and beaten fudge, so that’s all I knew.. I was in my late 20’s before I had my first taste of the terribly sweet marshmallow fudge. It made every cavity in my teeth scream with pain and if that weren’t enough, I went into fits of coughing/choking from the chocolate/sugar burn that grazed the back of my tongue. I had never had an experience like that from any other candy..and I like sweet candy! Fortunately, I learned to make the beaten fudge pretty well, so I haven’t tried my hand at taming the sweetness of marshmallow fudge. I must admit, I do like how quickly the “cheater” fudge is made and will try your recipe since you seem to have deepened the chocolate flavor enough to counter the strength of the sugar flavor that came through on the piece I choked over! If I cough and live, I’ll be back to let you know about it ;)

    • Alana D

    That was sweet of you!

    • Kathy Diaz (found baking)

    Your construction crew loves you I bet. With all these treats you are making them, they might gain a pound or two and eventually slow down the construction process because they are taking more naps than usual. Ha!

    Looks delish! Fudge and marshmallow cream together? I’m in.

    • Anna

    those lucky guys! i would work for your treats, definitely.

    • Bradford Lewis

    This adds another item to make late at night. movies, fudge, and my laptop. What could be better!

    • Julia {The Roasted Root}

    My mom used to make fudge using marshmallow cream when I was a kid during the holidays, so this brings me back to my childhood days. She used milk chocolate, which for me was too sweet, although I consumed the fudge nonetheless (of course) Unsweetened chocolate is a great idea, and I really love that you used roasted peanuts as opposed to the typical walnut saga. I bet the crew working on your apartment loved and appreciated the fudge! Hope you’re staying warm over there and thank you for the stroll down memory lane!

    • Britta

    Yummy. This sounds and looks delicious and has just been added to my must-try list.
    Good fudge is not easy to get in Germany, so I have start trying some home-made.

    • Gretchen @ flowercityfoodie.com

    My mom has made this fudge every year for Valentine’s Day as long as I can remember–she uses dark chocolate too. She also makes maple fudge which for whatever reason is called “Smith College” fudge on her recipe card. Anyone know the reason for this name?

    • Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb

    Hi David!

    I have never seen marshmallow cream before, its intriguing me!
    Your fudge is looking so soft and I bet it melts away in the mouth.
    I am craving for it!

    • Merry

    We sometimes make homemade marshmallow creme to use in making fudge. It has a nice texture, plus there’s more control over the flavor based on one’s choice of vanilla.

    It’s quite lovely in fudge…and no one has ever complained about the leftovers on ice cream either.

    • Jeanie Brown

    Girls at Smith College used to make fudge in their rooms using a small gas burner..at least that is what I’ve heard and why fudge is sometimes named thus!

    • Michelle

    Hi David,
    One of my office mates, who is Swiss, has been craving meringue and double cream for the past month, in fact it seems to have become an obsession….he drools when he describes the caramelized interior….
    You have a post on this apparently delightful sweet….just wondering, how are those meringues made? Are they made using the traditional Swiss meringue recipe?

    -the gluttons from office F-55.

    • Edward Zamora

    Do you have any recipes for glucose intolerant? Thanks.

    • Bebe

    Marshmallow cream (or creme) over good chocolate ice cream is 1/2 of a brilliant sundae we used to buy at Albert Sheetz candy and ice cream store in Pasadena, CA. The Black and White Sunday was a large scoop of good vanilla ice cream with Hot fudge and beside it a large scoop of good chocolate ice cream with Marshmallow Creme. Whipped cream, chopped almonds, yummmmmmmm.

    • Bebe

    Oops. Black and White Sundae.

    • Shari

    Hey David, thanks for the tip about the chocolate extract. I actually happen to have some, and for me any excuse to bake something will do!

    • Sara

    I love seeing this here. This was the only way we knew how to make fudge growing up, as we were able to make it without a candy thermometer. I do remember being sad that I couldn’t eat the marshmallow cream, but it was always worth the wait. I’m sure construction must be going well?!

    • Geraldine in Spain

    Hi David,
    How scary having your kitchen torn up but it will be SO WONDERFUL when finished.

    QUESTION;;;;;; In Spain marshmello cream does not exist. That was the way I made fudge that always WORKED OUT when a kid. Any idea what to use as
    an alternative? Could I make the marshmellos and not let it set? HELP.

    A simile for you. At least 30 y ears ago I made Marshmellows for the first time.
    Being an A personality, decided that instead of following the instructions, makinng
    a SLAB and then cutting them, OH NO, I would put them in tiny muffin pans…..Thank God in those days there were no digital photos…I had the stuff in my Hair, the Baby’s hair, the Dog’s hair, walls of the kitchen etc. It was so funny…..After that I caved and made marshmellos the regular way, it’s a piece of cake and they are so delicious.
    Geraldine in Spain

    • Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker

    I just had some marshmallow fudge at my grandparents’ anniversary party and I left without getting the recipe. It was delicious; I can’t wait to make this!

    • Gretchen @ flowercityfoodie.com

    BelleD & Jeanie Brown–thanks for the info! I was kind of wondering about the origins of the name!

    • Maria

    Damn, that dubious ingredient s make one nice looking fudge, I would eat it, sometimes dubious is what you need.
    Baby

    • ranchodeluxe

    Too cute, Monsieur. My bribe to the plumbers was pumpkin pie. They vow to respond to my every need!

    • michael bosley

    I can’t wait to make this! FYI your recipe for mint choc. brownies is now one of my favorites. I took them to a large after wedding picnic awhile ago and a woman stood up on the table(not the bride) screaming…yes screaming….”Who made these brownies?They are incredible!” Have never had such a reaction to anything I have made before so of course I make them all the time now. The only change I have made to them is baking them about ten minutes less then your stated time and sprinkling cocoa nibs on the top before baking which gives them a nice little crunch.

    • saltonthetable

    I went out and bought the marshmallow cream to make these but was a little stymied by the presence of peanuts as a bunch of people that would be consuming them in our household don’t like nuts. I am wondering if I can somehow mix in mini-marshmallows for some contrast without having them melt? Or if there is something else to mix in besides nuts.

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Marshmallows would likely melt – the nuts or peanuts can be omitted.

    • Allegra Smith

    David, you are wicked, wicked man. That is all I have to say.

    • Allegra Smith

    Ps: and we ended eating the Sacher torte was supposed to be mailed to you. It was good, maybe not as good as these evil little things that make my hips grow just to read about them, but it was good.

    • Michelle @ Taste As You Go

    David, that fudge looks absolutely sinful. Had I made a batch of that for a construction crew working on my house, they would have been extremely disappointed. I doubt it would’ve made it out of my kitchen in its entirety.

    • Lucy

    I haven’t made this in years, but used to love it. Never fails and it’s a great chocolate pick-me-up at the end of the day. Hope your kitchen is wonderful!

    • sam

    -worked like a charm…and took no time at all…liked this slightly less sweet version of an old favorite.
    thanks.

    • Jamie

    Ha ha ha this made me laugh… you two sound like us two…the Frenchie (stern and businesslike) and the American (old softies). Now the dilemma about offering them something as delicious and decadently good as this fudge is: will it make them work harder to please the man that can offer treats like this or will they slow down in order to make the treat-receiving last longer?

    • sonia

    I made these last night after purchasing a candy thermometer recommended on your site. I loved watching the butter, sugar and evaporated milk morph into such a different substance as it started to simmer and rise in temperature – the recipe was so straightforward and easy to follow for someone new to their candy thermometer. I want to try your salted butter caramels recipe next, they look amazing.

A

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