Nutella fudge for World Nutella Day

Birthdays are for treats, right? Birthdays are for indulgence, right? Birthdays are for going off the calorific scale, right? Birthdays are an excuse to make that decadent chocolate fudge that you would never ever make otherwise, right? Right!

Ok, so maybe "never ever" is an exaggeration but I must protest that I know enough to understand that to store such temptation in my kitchen is downright dangerous. This fudge is so very amazingly delicious. Just the thing for a birthday that seemed to be a comedy of errors.

I lost my watch (of 14 years) at the beach, got yelled at when parking the car, and, when we went for dinner at a lovely local pub, the chef was away so we had a limited menu. It wasn't all bad. There was sunshine, flowers, cake and the joy of seeing Sylvia discovering the limitless sandpit that is the beach. She has also just found how much she loves "happy birthday cake".

And there was nutella fudge. I had intended to bake cake for a birthday morning tea at work. An excuse to bake and share cake should not be passed up. I love baking cake. I just wish I wasn't so tired at the moment. Sylvia's sleeping has been unsettled and so has life. Or maybe I just mean I am busy. Is there a difference? Hard to tell when you are tired. Cake takes more energy than fudge. More measuring, more mixing, more waiting for the oven timer to ring. This fudge just needed some melting and sprinkling. Easy!

The recipe came from Hannah. It made amends for her raw brownie and all my dodgy nutella baking that I recently shared. It is brilliantly simple. Hannah used multi-coloured sprinkles. I didn't fancy them but wasn't brave enough to try the sea salt flakes in the original recipe. Instead I found some coloured sugar crystals. I tried them in different ways and discovered that less is more.

Mine wasn't quite as smooth as Hannah's on top but it had an amazing smooth texture. When I took it into work (with some cherries to compensate for such decadence) my colleagues had to know what was in it. Chocolate, condensed milk, nutella and butter! What more do you need in a fudge! One colleague commented that one piece contained enough calories for the day and declared she would not need to eat again until tomorrow. Everyone agreed it was amazing! I was only too glad to share it!

Even better, I get to share it with nutella lovers everywhere. Today is World Nutella Day, as declared by bloggers, Sara from Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso. Yet another great excuse to eat nutella fudge.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Emergency Zucchini and Rice Burgers
This time two years ago: East Brunswick Club
This time three years ago: Polenta and Tomato Comforts

Nutella Fudge
from Cooking Canuck via Wayfaring Chocolate
Makes at least 50 small but rich squares

400g (14 oz) can condensed milk
250g (8 oz) dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70%)
220g jar (approx 8 oz or 1 cup) Nutella
50g butter, room temperature, cut into small cubes
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sprinkles or sea salt

Melt first five ingredients in a heat proof bowl in the microwave or over a double boiler. You should let it become liquid so it sets smooth on top but I only let it just melt. Pour into a baking paper lined 20cm square tin or two 15 cm square tins. Sprinkle with coloured decorations or sea salt. Let set in the fridge until firm. I left mine overnight. Cut into small pieces. Store or serve with mini muffin papers, if desired. (It melts into your fingers easily when handled so the papers are useful.) Store in the fridge.

Update Nov 2011: I loved this so much that I made a vegan gluten free nutella fudge.

On the stereo:
Return to Paradise: history of exotica - Various Artists