This chocolate, salted caramel pecan fudge is loaded with pecans, dripping with caramel, and sprinkled with sea salt. Yummy for holiday celebrations or to satisfy a sweet tooth!
Easy Shortcut Caramel Preparation
This decadent fudge has a double layer of salted caramel! This is done by dividing the fudge in half and placing a layer in a serving dish. Then smooth half of the caramel onto the fudge. Add the rest of the fudge in another layer, smoothing the remaining caramel on top of it. The caramel is easy to make by heating caramel candy cubes and milk to form a soft, spoonable caramel.
How to Melt Caramel
Place the caramel candy into a microwaveable glass measuring cup or another bowl. Add evaporated milk. Then heat for 30-second intervals and stir. It can take between 1 to 2 1/2 minutes to melt the caramels. Stir until the caramel is smooth.
Cooking the Base for Salted Caramel Pecan Fudge
The base mixture for the fudge should cook in a saucepan with a thick bottom to prevent scorching. Stir frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat. The goal is to keep the mixture boiling but at the lowest heat possible. Boil for about 5 minutes or until the mixture reaches 237 to 239 degrees F. The mixture will foam and rise in the pan. Then remove it from the heat.
Add the Rest of the Ingredients for Salted Caramel Pecan Fudge
Melt the chocolate chips by adding them to the hot butter/sugar/milk mixture.
How to Store Salted Caramel Pecan Fudge
You can keep the fudge chilled in the refrigerator to prevent the caramel from melting and dripping. It will also be easier to cut and handle if it is cold. Just be sure to store it in a single layer in an airtight container lined with parchment paper. Sit it out for 15 minutes before serving it. However, if you don’t mind soft caramel drips, you can leave the fudge on the countertop in an airtight container even though it is messier than cold caramel fudge. Be sure not to stack the fudge because the top pieces will stick to the caramel topping on the first layer. Enjoy!
Other Recipes You Might Like
Here are some other recipes with caramel you might like. Click on each name to link to the recipe.
Salted Caramel Pecan Fudge
Equipment
- 8 x 8-inch baking dish or pan
Ingredients
Caramel
- (1) 11-ounce bag caramels, unwrapped
- 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
Fudge
- โ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ยฝ cups granulated sugar
- โ cup + 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
- (1) 12-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- (1) 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- coarse sea salt
Instructions
Caramel
- Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Place a sheet of parchment paper with overhanging “handles” in it. Set aside.
- Place the caramels and evaporated milk into a microwavable bowl. (An oversized glass measuring cup works well.) Microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. Heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Fudge
- Add the butter, sugar, and milk to a saucepan with a heavy, thick bottom. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir frequently. When the mixture reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to low and stir for 5 minutes or until the temperature reaches 237-239 degrees F (114-115 degrees C).
- Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir to melt the chocolate. (The mixture will become thick.) Then add the vanilla and marshmallow creme, stirring until mixed. Add the pecans and stir to mix. If the mixture is too thick, add an additional tablespoon of evaporated milk to make it easier to work with.
- Place half of the mixture into the prepared dish. Pat to smooth. Dot the top with caramel. Spread it over the fudge. Then sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat, adding the rest of the fudge to the next layer. Then top with caramel and sea salt again. Cool and place the dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cut into small squares to serve. The number of pieces this recipe makes depends on the size you cut them.