Eggnog spiked with rum has always  been a special treat reserved for that month between  Thanksgiving and Christmas…taking the edge off of the holiday mayhem.  I have watched as tv ads for Christmas have crept up to Thanksgiving…then Halloween..and yes, I saw a Target Christmas ad mid October this year!!!  So why am I so surprised to see eggnog on the grocery shelves before Halloween?

Since the craziness of Christmas hasn’t yet hit my clientele at the bank, I can’t claim to need that spiked eggnog just yet…however, it does give me a chance to try my hand at an eggnog fudge….with pecans, of course.

I like my fudge creamy, not brittle or crumbly, so I pay close attention to the temperatures and beating times…heating my sugary confection up to 235 degrees on the candy thermometer, then cooling it back down to 110 degrees before beating it until it’s thickened and lost its gloss, then sprinkling in the toasted pecans before pouring the fudge into a buttered dish to set for several hours, or overnight is ideal.  Notice that I cut strips of parchment paper that I lay crosswise in my dish and butter it all…these provide handles to easily lift the fudge out of the dish for cutting into bite-size pieces.

EGGNOG FUDGE

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 2/3 cup eggnog
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups white chocolate pieces (12 oz)
• 1  7 oz jar Marshmallow Fluff or cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup pecans (toasted 8 minutes in a 325 degree oven) chopped

Butter an 8″ dish.

Butter the inside of a tall, heavy 4 qt saucepan to encourage any stray sugar crystals on the sides to slide down into the mixture during the boiling.  Melt the butter with the eggnog, sugars and spices over medium, stirring gently until butter melts.

Once the mixture starts to boil, quit stirring and clip on candy thermometer.  Allow to boil for about 20 minutes until the temperature reads 235 degrees.

Meanwhile, place white chocolate, marshmallow and vanilla into a mixing bowl.

Immediately remove the boiling mixture once it reaches 235 degrees and pour over the white chocolate/marshmallow/vanilla in the mixing bowl.  Stir gently with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to encourage all the ingredients to melt together until incorporated.  Then stop stirring and return the candy thermometer to the confection and let sit until it reads 110 degrees.  Now beat with your mixer for about 10 minutes until the fudge loses its gloss and thickens.  Sprinkle in your cooled, toasted pecans and pour into your buttered dish to set for several hours.  Don’t bother to smooth the top as the eye appeal of fudge is increased by that ‘homemade rustic’ look.

Cut into bite-sized pieces to serve.  This freezes well for several months.

If you notice your frozen fudge supply dwindling mysteriously, check your house for a fudge phantom!