Caramel Pecan Fudge and Hershey’s Cookies’n’Creme Drops Fudge

It’s fudge time!  I really like fudge.  I like it enough that it’s dangerous for me.  I only make it during the holidays.  And then I give most of it away.  You know, you have to square off those edges nicely. ;)

One of the things I find most enjoyable is making up different kinds of fudge.  I do that with brownies, too.  One of my favorite brownies are Caramel Pecan Brownies.  I decided I needed to make Caramel Pecan Fudge.

I love how it sliced with the chunks of caramel and pieces of toasted pecans.  I used Kraft caramels and cut each into about six pieces.  I just used the easy fudge recipe from Borden’s Sweetened Condensed Milk.  I always use the fat free condensed milk, so all my fudge is low fat. (bwah!)  I cannot tell a difference between the fat free and the regular. 

Caramel Pecan Fudge, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (Adapted from Borden’s)

3 cups chocolate chips (18 ounces) I used 1 cup semi sweet and 2 cups milk chocolate

1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk

pinch of salt

3/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans

24 Kraft caramels, unwrapped and cut into six pieces each

Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with enough foil to hang a little over the edge of the pan and spray it with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the condensed milk, chocolate chips and salt and melt over medium heat.  Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped pecans and caramels.  Spread the fudge evenly in the pan.  Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.  Lift the fudge out of the pan with the foil edges and set it on a cutting board.  Cut into one inch squares.

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Have you seen the new Hershey’s Drops?  There’s milk chocolate and cookies’n’creme.  When I saw them last week, I had to grab a bag of each.

I decided to make fudge with the Cookies’n’ Creme Drops mixed in.  Again, this was really easy.

These have a great sweet crunch and contrast with the smooth, chocolaty fudge.

 Cookies’n’Creme Fudge, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (Adapted from Borden’s)

2 cups, 1 pkg. (12 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips (I used Hershey’s special dark chips)

1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter

pinch of salt

4 ounces Hershey’s Cookies’n’Creme Drops (about half a bag) 3 ounces roughly chopped (a good heaping half cup)

Line a 9 inch square baking pan with enough foil to hang a little over the edge of the pan and spray it with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt and melt over medium heat.  Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped Drops.  Spread the fudge evenly in the pan.  Add the remaining whole Drops evenly over the fudge.  Refrigerate until firm about 2 hours.    Lift the fudge out of the pan with the foil edges and set it on a cutting board.  Cut into one inch squares.