Recipe: Skaarup's Cranberry Fudge

SKAARUP'S CRANBERRY FUDGE
Original recipe. (c) 1997 T. Skaarup. May be copied without modification. All rights reserved.

1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup Craisins (optional)
1 (6- or 7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme/fluff (may substitute 2 cups mini-marshmallows)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup cranberry juice concentrate*
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place white chips, orange extract, Craisins and marshmallow creme into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Heat milk at medium setting until warm, then add sugar. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Reduce flame to minimum setting that will still allow you to maintain boil. Continue to boil for 8 full minutes.

At 4 minutes into the boil, add the cranberry juice concentrate and stop the timer. The cool cranberry juice will probably stop the boil. Bring the mixture back to a boil and restart the timer for the last 4 minutes. You want to boil for a total of 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees, but do not exceed 9 minutes' rolling-boil total. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir until dissolved (but no more than 30 seconds).

Pour hot mixture over white chips, orange extract and marshmallow creme without scraping the sides of the hot saucepan. Mix until the chips are melted. Mix thoroughly and pour into prepared pan.

Cool at room temperature. Chill in refrigerator before cutting. Remove from pan, remove foil and cut into 1-inch squares.

*NOTE: Cranberry Juice Concentrate can be found in fruit juice isle, it comes in a 12 oz can that looks like a soda can and is reconstituted by adding water. If you can't find it, you can use frozen cranberry juice mix -- let it thaw and use 1/3 cup. Use the rest of the concentrate to make cranberry juice to drink with the fudge.

Makes 36 pieces