Make Shamrock Minty Fudge today

(c) 2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Personally, I don't love mint, but others in my family do. And who doesn't love chocolate?

About.com has a minty, green clover-shaped Shamrock Fudge that is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. The white chocolate-based fudge is cut into clover shapes and the edges are rolled in green sugar sprinkles.

You can make the entire fudge green, or create green and white swirls. And, the flavor can be varied according to the extract used to suit your preferences.


Yield: 1 9x9 pan

Ingredients:

•3 cups white chocolate chips

•14 oz sweetened condensed milk

•1/4 tsp salt

•1.5 tsp peppermint extract

•green food coloring

•small shamrock-shaped cookie cutter

Preparation:

1. Prepare a 9x9 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. For a thinner fudge, use a 9x13 pan instead.

2. Place the white chocolate chips and the condensed milk in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir well, then microwave for an additional 45 seconds, or until melted. Take care to heat only as much as necessary, because white chocolate burns easily.

3. Once the white chocolate is melted, stir in the salt and peppermint extract. If you are making green fudge, add several drops of green food coloring now. Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer.


4. If you are making swirled fudge, drizzle liquid green food coloring over the top of the fudge, then run a knife or toothpick through the coloring to create a swirled design.

5. Allow the fudge to set in the refrigerator for an hour, or at room temperature for several hours. Once set, pull it out of the pan using the foil as handles.

6. Cut small shamrocks from the fudge using a shamrock cookie cutter. Pour the green sprinkles or sanding sugar onto a plate, and roll the freshly cut edges in the sugar.

If you are making these in advance, it’s a good idea to skip the sprinkles, because sugared shamrocks can be messy to store, and the sugar liquefies after prolonged exposure to humidity.

Serve at room temperature.