Double Chocolate Rocky Road Fudge

The easiest fudge you can make uses only two ingredients: sweetened condensed milk and chocolate. This Double Chocolate Rocky Road Fudge is made using the limited edition chocolate sweetened condensed milk that I recently tried and dark chocolate, the combination of which yields a very decadent fudge with lots of chocolate flavor. The fudge is studded with marshmallows and nuts, giving it a nice blend of textures, as well as a wonderful overall flavor.

You can use either chopped dark chocolate or regular chocolate chips for this fudge recipe. Chocolate chips are easier because they require no prep work, but you can get and even deeper chocolate flavor by using a darker chocolate. You can also use a combination (since semisweet chocolate chips are dark chocolate themselves) if you have a few different brands of chocolate in your pantry at any given time. The sweetened condensed milk and chocolate can be melted together either on the stovetop or in the microwave. Once the fudge base is made, the few extra ingredients I incorporated into this batch can be stirred in and the fudge can be left to set up.

I stirred a generous amount of mini marshmallows and walnuts into this batch of fudge to turn it from simple chocolate into decadent rocky road. I recommend leaving the walnuts in large chunks, larger than you might for a batch of chocolate chip cookies, because they’ll look nicer in the finished fudge and will be easier to slice through when serving. You can use either toasted or untoasted nuts, depending on what you have in your kitchen and your personal preferences, as both will give you delicious results. I also left the top of the fudge unadorned, but you can sprinkle it with a few marshmallows and walnut pieces before it sets up to make the flavor of the fudge even more clear.

The finished fudge is creamy and rich. It is firm enough that you can slice it and handle it easily, but soft enough that it will start to melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. While you can refrigerate the fudge to speed up its set time, I strongly recommend allowing it to set up overnight because it is much more flavorful when served at room temperature than when it is chilled. It is also best when sliced into very small squares, as even a small piece is very satisfying. The fudge will keep well for at least a week when stored in an airtight container.

Double Chocolate Rocky Road Fudge
1 can (14-oz) chocolate sweetened condensed milk*
3 cups (18-oz) chopped dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup walnuts (toasted or untoasted), chopped in large chunks

Lightly butter an 8×8-inch square pan, or line one with parchment or wax paper.
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate sweetened condensed milk and chocolate. Cook for 1 minute on high heat, then stir with a spatula to break down some of the melting chocolate chunks. Microwave mixture in 30-40 second intervals, stirring regularly, until the chocolate has completely melted and the fudge is a uniform consistency. Stir in salt and vanilla extract. Fold mini marshmallows and chopped nuts into the fudge.
Pour fudge into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Allow fudge to set up for 8 hours, or overnight, until firm.
Slice into small squares to serve.

Makes about 36 pieces.

*This fudge can also be made with regular sweetened condensed milk. To amp up the chocolate flavor in a way that is similar to the extra chocolate from the chocolate sweetened condensed milk, try adding 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract to your fudge in place of the vanilla extract.