Easy chocolate fudge

• whole milk↗300ml ml
• granulated sugar↗350g g
• unsalted butter↗100g g
• vanilla extract↗1 tsp tsp
• dark chocolate↗100g g

  chopped

• chopped nuts

  pieces of toffee, mini chocolate buttons. I used 40 g of chopped pistachio and 2‑3 tbsp of topping

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Line a square 18 cm or 20 cm baking tin with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Place the milk, sugar and butter in a heavy saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts, about 7 minutes.

3. 3

   Bring to a boil and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring constantly. When the mixture boils, remove it from the heat and continue stirring until it thickens and pulls down the sides. Then return it to the heat.

4. 4

   After about 15 minutes start measuring the temperature (keep stirring or the mixture will scorch). The time to reach the target temperature can vary, especially in a cold kitchen; in our test it took 22 minutes. When the thermometer reads 115 °C, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract and a generous pinch of sea salt. Let cool for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Vigorously stir in the chopped chocolate and continue stirring until the chocolate melts — it may initially separate, but keep stirring and it will recombine. Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared tin and let it set at room temperature.

6. 6

   When the fudge is slightly warm to the touch but not hot, add various toppings such as nuts, toffee pieces or mini chocolate buttons — simply sprinkle them over the surface and gently press them into the fudge until they adhere. Ensure the fudge is only slightly warm when doing this — if it’s too hot the toppings may melt. After setting, cut the fudge into small pieces and store in an airtight container.