One of my favorite winter flavors is peppermint chocolate. I could not eat any store bought chocolates this year, and so I decided to see if I could come up with a dairy-free fudge that would allow me to have chocolate peppermint. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and if you make the dairy-free option, it is vegan as well. Both versions are below. As long as you do not add nuts or use a nut-milk, it is nut-free.
Fudge is typically made on the stovetop with a double boiler, but that method takes far too long and requires too many ingredients to be practical in a dorm room. The directions below are for a microwave and much faster.
Peppermint Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Optional: crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
1/3 cup of margarine
1/4 cup of dairy-free milk
1 tablespoon of peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Optional: crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Instructions:
Line a fridge/freezer-safe container with parchment paper. I put the fudge in a loaf pan, but any container you have which can go in the fridge or freezer is fine. If you do not have any containers, a plastic bag should suffice.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. If you do not have anything to sift them with, you can leave them un-sifted and instead use a fork to go through the mixture ensuring that the two are well combined and that no lumps remain.
Place the butter/margarine and milk in a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat them for thirty seconds. Even if the butter is not fully melted, do not give it more time. Use a fork or spoon to mix the mixture.
Add the peppermint extract and salt.
Microwave the mixture for another ten seconds.
Fold (gently mix) in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder in small portions.
Mix the entire mixture until smooth.
Microwave for another ten seconds.
If candy canes are used, fold them into the mixture now.
Pour the mixture into your container.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Cut the fudge. At this point it can be removed from the container or just kept in it.
Store the fudge in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes:
Butter and margarine can be used practically interchangeably in this recipe. Both should be cut into slightly smaller cubes before being placed in the microwave. This is always the case when microwaving either to help them melt quickly and more evenly. Neither should ever be microwaved for more than thirty seconds at a time without stirring (this is true of almost everything placed in the microwave with some things being no more than ten seconds).
I have used both almond milk and oat milk for this recipe. Both can be used practically interchangeably. If you want it to be nut-free as well as dairy-free, I would recommend oat milk. I have not tried any other dairy substitutes so I do not know how anything else would work. Please note that if you use non-dairy milk, the fudge will not set as firmly as if milk is used. It is not a major difference, and the dairy-free version tastes fine.
If you want to make chocolate fudge without peppermint, you can replace the peppermint with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you want a different flavor, you can try using different extracts, but I have not yet tried another flavor and so am unsure how it would turn out. For that reason, I would recommend using only two teaspoons of extract on your first attempt. If I do try another flavor of chocolate fudge, I will add a note of how the other options work out. If you want the peppermint flavor stronger, you can add more extract, but it is already quite strong as it is and so I would not recommend adding more than one teaspoon more.
Adding crushed candies is a great way to add a crunchy texture to a creamy fudge. The best way to crush candy canes is to put them in a plastic bag and then take out all of your frustrations on them. A rolling pin is the traditional tool, but your philosophy textbook is a great option. (Baking can be quite therapeutic at times simply for the excuse to whack something.)
Instead of adding candy canes, you can also add just about any type of chopped nuts. I would recommend not using peppermint if you use nuts so as not to have too many different flavors that overwhelm one another.
Confectioner’s sugar can billow everywhere and make a rather large mess, so I would recommend adding small portions at a time and sifting slowly. If it does get everywhere, a damp cloth should suffice in cleaning it up.
I hope that you enjoy this recipe and please let me know if you have any questions.
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