Chocolate and mint layered fudge. An easy idea for Halloween… or any time!

I’ve started looking for Halloween recipes. While I was mooching around the internet, I wondered if I could make chocolate fudge with a bright green mint layer. So, not exactly a classic “Halloweeny” recipe, but Halloween would be a good excuse to make it!

I got the original recipe from the BBC goodfood website. I’d make a couple of changes in future… but I’ll mention those when I get there.

Ingredients (I got 48 pieces from the block of chocolate mint fudge)

• 350 g/ 12.3 oz plain chocolate
• One 397 g tin (14 oz) of caramel (I used Carnation’s but I’m sure any caramel would work just fine. You can also make your own caramel)
• 1.5 tbsp vanilla extract/essence
• 175 g / 6 oz white chocolate
• 1 tbsp peppermint extract/essence (I used two thirds of a tbsp as I didn’t want it too minty!)
• Green food colouring

Method

Line a tin with baking paper. Here is the first thing I’d do differently next time! The original recipe tells you to use a 20 or 23cm (8 or 9 inch) square tin. My tin is 7.5 x 8.5 inches (so the same as 8 square), and I’d say it’s still too big. Ideally I think you need a smaller tin to have enough of the chocolate fudge mixture to make two good layers either side of the mint layer. But do the best you can with the tin you have!

Break the plain chocolate into small pieces and put in a non-stick pan with 250 g (8.8 oz) of the caramel and the vanilla. Stir over a low heat until all the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth mixture.

Tip half of this plain chocolate fudge mixture into your prepared tin and spread out to form an even layer. I found this quite tricky because the mixture was thick and the greaseproof paper kept creeping about! Put the tin in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes or until firm.

Put the other half of the plain chocolate fudge mixture, still in the warm pan, to one side.

In another small pan, melt the white chocolate with the rest of the caramel. Add the peppermint essence. I used two thirds of a tablespoon as I didn’t want my chocolate mint fudge too minty. Use as much as you like. I added the green food colouring a drop at a time until I got the shade I wanted. Stir it through to get an even colour.

Remove the base layer of plain chocolate fudge from the fridge. Pour the green mint fudge mixture over it and spread to get an even layer. Put the tin back in the fridge for 10 minutes or until the fudge is firm.

Finally, spread the other half of the plain chocolate mixture (which you left in the pan) over the top of your mint layer. I found this difficult because it was so thick and I didn’t feel there was quite enough. This is why a smaller tin would have helped!

Put the chocolate and mint layered fudge in the fridge for 2 hours to set or until firm. When it’s ready, turn it out onto a chopping board and cut into as many pieces as you like.

Store your fudge on layers of baking paper in an airtight container either in a cool place or in the fridge.

Obviously colouring the mint layer green is entirely optional!

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Still looking for a sugar rush? Not enough chocolate and mint? Try these other recipes:

 

 

Jane’s caramel Rolo fudge.

 

 

 

 

After Eight mint chocolate brownies.

 

 

 

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Claire Huston / Art and Soul