Hi folks. I am so sorry I have been so M.I.A. lately. I wish it was some exotic excuse like I ran off with Timpothy Oliphant or something like that. Sadly the truth is I've been sick. And busy. Too busy for a sick person. Too sick for a busy person. Apparently delirious as well as I'm not even making sense to my dang self at this point. Anyhoo as my sis says, I am on the mend so I'll be soon stalking all you other bloggers as per usual I'm sure.
So this fudge is part of Mom's Crazy Cooking's monthly fun-fest. I joined them again in the Crazy Cooking Challenge. Our challenge this month was to find a fudge from another blog and make it. I knew I wanted to do chocolate. I knew I wanted to do pistachio. And of course pistachio to me has to come accompanied by dried cherries. It's a given at this point. I know you're all rolling your eyes. Kim and her dang pistachios. Her dang cherries. But I showed restraint people. I did not, I repeat, I did not throw coconut in it. I wanted to, but I held back. So see, I can be restrained. Just ask the people at the hospital, they'll tell ya.
I wandered about the Internet highway cruising around looking at fudge, at pistachio fudge, at everything fudge. There was a dark chocolate one from Nigella that kept popping up. I am not a fan of dark chocolate though so that was out and wiped half the fudge off the list. I scrolled around, looked at a bunch and all of a sudden I happened on a fellow blogger who I adore. There it was...pistachio fudge. Not just any pistachio fudge but one from "Simply Reem". I had found my fudge and I had found it from a blogger who I love. It's like the stars aligned for me. So this is me making Reem's fudge and telling you all you should go check this lady out. She is super sweet and an amazing cook. You will thank me I promise you.
The only thing I changed was adding dried cherries. The rest of the recipe I followed the way Reem did it. I don't follow recipes often so this is a real testament to her. It turned out wonderfully. I had a minor snafu of a wet bottom, (the recipe, not me, ew!) but that was totally my fault. I soaked the cherries in water for a bit before adding them and I should not have. I also wet my parchment which I do often but probably should not for fudge. So I think the wet bottom issue (ew!) was my fault and had nothing to do with the recipe.
Okay so without further ado, or talk of weird things, here you go.
Ingredients
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- ½ cup pistachios shelled and chopped
- ½ cup dried cherries
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Shell and chop your nuts. Set aside.
- Line an 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Combine your chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter in a heat proof glass bowl and place over top of a saucepan with simmering water on the stove. I found keeping the stove at a medium-low setting worked for me.
- Stir frequently until your chocolate melts.
- Keep stirring until it is smooth. It will also feel thick.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and add your pistachios and dried cherries, and also your vanilla. Mix well.
- Now pour the mixture into the pan and smooth it out.
- Let it cool to room temperature.
- Now stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- Once it is set you can remove it and cut into squares.
- Serve with a smile.
Yup, flipping awesome. Think it might not last till Christmas. Thanks to Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking for hosting the Crazy Cooking Challenge. For anyone interested in joining please feel free to get ahold of her. It's a fun group and I always enjoy participating. Also I hope you stop by Simply Reem and check out her blog.
Toodles and smoochies.xx
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
Oh this fudge looks oh so yummy! I love how thick it is too! Can you please send a box of it my way?!
Christine's Pantry
I'm sorry to hear you are sick. Get well soon. Fudge looks great.
Katherine Martinelli
Oh wow, an entire fudge blog hop?! NOW I'm in heaven. Yours looks incredible. I see nothing wrong with adding pistachios and dried cherries into anything and everything! I hope you're feeling better!
Gourmantine
I feel so sorry for you being ill... I heard that sweet treats help a lot 🙂
Kristen
Wet bottom aside, that sounds like wonderful fudge. I am hoarding the last of my dried cherries, even to the point of hovering over them and saying words like "precious" in an evil whispery voice. Still, I am mighty tempted to allow a portion to become wrapped up in fudge.
Kim Bee
@Tina- Lol, I shall be careful which ones I eat I promise.
@ConCon- Thank you. I never used to be able to make fudge but my sister has a recipe I can actually do. Now I love making it. I like old fashioned fudge.
@Kiran- Being sick blows. Feeling better now, just tired. Fudge makes everything better.
@Tina- Aw, thanks. You are so sweet.
@Dara- Lol, thanks.
@Corina- Thank you.
@Butteryum- Thank you, will be stopping in on everyone today. Finally have some free time.
@Curry and Comfort- Thanks. I was like that with pistachios and pomegranates. Didn't try them till much later in my teens. Then I was hooked.
@Movita- See, you+me=great minds thinking alike!
@Chels- Thanks so much. I love these things together. Really good in bark as well.
@Magic of Spice- I swear I could just survive on coconuts, cherries and pistachios for the rest of my life. It's sad how many recipes for pistachios I have on my blog. Lol! Reem is awesome!
@Erin- Me too, like ocd with them. Cannot get enough of them. Luckily Costco sells huge bags of them. Lol!
@Rebecca- Thanks!
@Simply Life- Thank you!
@Cucina49- I like the old fashioned kind, not so much the thick easy to make stuff.
@Kiri- Lol, I am so glad I am not the only one completely obsessed with pistachios.
@anne- Lol, I shall save you some.
@Janet- Ha, I know right. It's a tongue twister. Pist-a-cherry-o. Tastes amazing.
@Lo-mo- I love when that happens. It's like fate or something.
@Ann- Thanks my dear. I try to make it every couple months. I have one recipe from my sister that is killer good.
@Stephanie- Lol, I shall have to see if there's any left.
@Christine- Thanks so much.
@Katherine- See I knew there was a reason I loved you so much. You accept my nuttiness. Lol. I swear I could live on an island with just a pistachio tree, cherry tree and coconuts. Oh and maybe Timothy Oliphant to keep me company. I mean I can't be alone now can i?
@Gourmantine- Thanks, sweets always make me feel better.
@Kristen- I just picked up another bag at Costco so I am ready to party. Lol. I talk to mine all the time. I hear they like it.
Lizzy
Such amazing fudge, Kim!!! YUMMY!
Vivian - Let's Try These...
How tasty sounding! Beautiful pics too!
Miz Helen
Great recipe for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, it is fun cooking with you!
Miz Helen
Kim Bee
@Lizzy- Thank you so much!
@Vivian- Thanks!
@Miz Helen- Aw, thanks. You too!
Grubarazzi
I want this in my mouth, right now!
Happy When Not Hungry
Wow this looks amazing!!! I love the pistachios and dried cherry combo too. I def need to try this ASAP!
mjskit
I'm sorry you've been sick but glad to read that you are feeling better! I love this recipe! I saw Reem's and loved it and now here it is again, but with dried cherries. YUM! Like eating a chocolate covered cherry. Delicious!
Jennifer (Delicieux)
Yum!! I love homemade fudge!!
Sorry to hear you've been sick though. I hope you get better soon.
tandysinclair.com
pistachios and cherries - my favourites as well 🙂
Yummy Mummy
This looks incredible. And fudge just screams Christmas!
Have a great weekend!
Marina
Jackie
Glad you're feeling better! I know that feeling: I can't be sick! I don't have time!
I've never see fudge look so tasty, the acid of the cranberries looks perfect!
Reem | Simply Reem
Kim......
I have to say you are the kindest and sweetest soul I have met...
God you are so so kind to me.....
I never in my wildest dream thought that blogging would bless me with friends like you, God I feel so so blessed....
trust me dear you made this fudge so much more delicious and worth trying...
Love you Love you.... And feel better soon....
Kim Bee
@Grubarazzi- Lol, it is pretty dang good.
@Happy When Not Hungry- Thank you so much. I hope you try it out. I like pistachios and dried cherries in everything. Lol!
@mjskit- I had to use this one for the challenge. Love Reem to bits. This fudge is really good.
@Jennifer- Thanks so much. Feeling alot better now.
@tandysinclair- So good right!
@Marina- Thanks so much. Hope you are enjoying our weekend as well.
@Jackie- Being sick is not fun. You have a little one too so doubly hard when you get it. I am lucky my kids are older and can help out when I get sick.
@Reem- Aw, you are so sweet. I love that a shared passion for food brings people together. I don't have foodie friends in my real life so it's so nice to have you all in my virtual life. I adore you and your blog. Thank you so much for all your kind words. xx
A Canadian Foodie
Holy Cow! This is the craziest - most intense fudge challenge I have ever seen. I have never even heard of all these kinds of fudge - and for you to get this many people involved in hooking up to share their fudge recipes here - kudos to you! Outstanding work!
I also appreciate finding fellow Canadian food bloggers - very much!
🙂
Valerie