I love fudge, but I despise how expensive it is. I can totally agree that it is an art form and those who make it should be well-paid, but $12-14 per pound?!? Sorry, can’t do it. Learning to make it yourself will save you major bucks. (Or even give you something to sell during the holidays to make some extra money!)
This Pineapple Upside Down fudge is a fun twist on the treat giving you the flavor of Pineapple Upside Down cake in rich, luxurious fudge. The cherries and pineapple provide a tart balance to the sweet fudge.
Fudge, in its most basic form, is sugar and liquid that has been heated to 235 degrees and cooled to 110 degrees before being poured into the baking dish to set. This allows tiny sugar crystals to form that give you a smooth texture, rather than a grainy fudge.
Making fudge can be a very tricky process requiring constant monitoring of your temperatures. By using sweetened condensed milk and sweetened chocolate chips, we eliminate the need to add granulated sugar and monitor the temperature so closely.
Makes 25 pieces
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup heavy cream
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons pineapple juice
4 tablespoons yellow cake mix
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1-¼ cups dried pineapple, diced
13 maraschino cherries, cut in half
DIRECTIONS
Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Be sure to leave enough overhang so the fudge can be lifted out after it has set.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter and heavy cream, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until a candy or instant-read thermometer reads 234 degrees Fahrenheit (112 degrees Celsius). (At this point, the sugar mixture is at what’s known as the “soft-ball stage!”)
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the white chocolate chips until they are melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add the pineapple juice, cake mix and marshmallow creme, and mix until well-blended.
Fold in the diced dried pineapple.
Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Place the cherry halves, cut-side down and evenly spaced, on top of the fudge. (Note that five rows of five cherry pieces will yield 25 pieces when cut.)
Place the fudge in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, until firm.
Once the fudge is firm, lift parchment from the pan, and cut into pieces, being sure to get 1 cherry piece per slice.
Serve and enjoy!