Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Optional additional ingredients: crushed candy canes, marshmallows and/or cocoa powder.

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan or a 9 x 9-inch pan with foil and set aside.

Combine the cream and sweetened condensed milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat until it is steaming, but not boiling, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching.

Add all of the chocolate and remove from the heat. Allow the chocolate to melt, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, whisk firmly until it is thick and shiny. You can add a few drops of flavoring extract or oil at this point, or add some powdered espresso or vanilla. Whisk vigorously again to incorporate the flavoring (if used.)

Use a rubber or silicone spatula to spread the mixture out evenly in your prepared, foil-lined pan. Allow to cool at room temperature 12 hours or overnight so that it firms slowly.

Take the fudge from the pan and remove the foil. Place on a cutting board.

Using a knife heated with hot water and wiped dry, cut the fudge into 36 equal-sized cubes. You can either stick a lollipop stick (or candy cane) into the center of each block or leave them as is. Additionally, you can press the cut sides of the fudge into crushed candy canes, roll them in cocoa powder or top with marshmallows.

(Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour.)

For homemade marshmallows, use this recipe:

Homemade Marshmallows

Ingredients:

* .75-oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 2/3 cups light corn syrup
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or other flavor extract)
* Confectioners’ sugar

Line a 9 x 9-inch or 8 x 8-inch pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil it using your fingers or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. As soon as it is boiling, set the timer and allow to boil hard for 1 minute.

Carefully pour the boiling syrup into soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, starting on low and moving up to high speed. Add the salt and beat for between 10 and 12 minutes, or until fluffy and mostly cooled to almost room temperature. After it reaches that stage, add in the extract and beat to incorporate.

Grease your hands and a rubber or silicone scraper with neutral oil and transfer marshmallow into the prepared pan. Use your greased hands to press the marshmallow into the pan evenly. Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.

Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with confectioner’s sugar. Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar. Dust the top generously with sugar as well. Use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares. Separate pieces and toss to coat all surfaces with the sugar.

Store in an airtight container.