Fudge L’Orange

… Smooth, Creamy, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Orange Fudge!

Why the French name for this citrus-y, chocolate-y, melt-in-your-mouth confection? Because we’ve incorporated a favorite liqueur from France into our ingredients. To add a bit of sophisticated orange essence to this rich, creamy candy we’re swizzling in Grand Marnier. Not so much to add the flavor of alcohol, just enough to create a hint to smooth orange throughout. We’ve also drizzled in some Angostura Aromatic Bitters for depth. The bitters somehow blend all the flavors, making this so much more than just an orange fudge recipe. Fresh orange zest offers brightness here and there. This is definitely not the fudge you remember from your childhood. I LOVE making this during the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday season. A fun little treat on your New Year’s Eve party plate, perhaps? Maybe leave some out for Santa for a really great surprise. What might he leave for you?

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: about 15 minutes

Cool time: at least one hour

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar, superfine if available – I think it makes a creamier fudge

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, plus a little extra to coat your dish– I use Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread¹ (it’s dairy, gluten, and soy free)

5 ounces evaporated milk, or non-dairy milk²

1 bag (10 ounces) Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips³

1 7-ounce jar Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme

1 ounce Grand Marnier

30 drops Aromatic Bitters

zest of three oranges, divided 1 part + 2 parts

Directions:

Butter or foil line a 9-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

In medium-size pot, over medium heat, combine sugar, margarine, and milk. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 234ºF. This will probably take about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

CAUTIOUSLY, slowly and only a few drops at a time, add the Grand Marnier to the boiled sugar mixture. This will cause bubbling and spewing of the boiled sugar mixture, so be very careful. Stir gently between each addition. Add bitters and stir well.

Add chocolate chips and marshmallow creme and stir well until fully melted, blended in, and creamy.

Stir in zest of 1 orange. Pour fudge into prepared dish. Sprinkle zest of 2 oranges, or grate directly, over top of fudge. Place dish on cooling rack to cool completely.

For soft fudge (soft enough to be eaten with a spoon – very fun), cover and store on countertop.

For firmer fudge to be cut into squares, cover and chill in refrigerator. When firm, probably an hour or two, cut into pieces and store in airtight container in fridge or freezer.

Be sure to check out our OhFudge! post for other festive and delicious fudge recipes.

Do you like embellishing your fudge with sophisticated or fun flavors? Do you have some creative ideas to share? We’d love to hear them in our comments section below!

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™

¹Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread Product Review

²To make evaporated non-dairy milk, begin with twice the amount of milk called for in the recipe. Use any non-dairy milk substitute you prefer. I used Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond Milk for this recipe. In a sauce pot, bring the milk to a simmer. Simmer until reduced in quantity by half, to the amount called for in the recipe.  

³Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips Product Review