$500.00 FUDGE
From: Diane Lamere

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can evaporated milk
1 cup butter
18 ounces chocolate chips
3 tablespoons vanilla
1 dash salt

Use large stainless steel pot; cook sugar and canned milk to rolling boil for 6 minutes; stirring constantly; remove from heat.

Add butter, chocolate chips, vanilla, and dash of salt Stir until mixed. Pour into buttered pan. Let stand 6 hours before cutting. Will keep a long time in cookie tin or a sealed container in a cool place.

* The original recipe calls for 1/2 lb butter, but I find that the butter "pools" on top of the finished fudge. I only use 12 Tbsp of butter and my fudge turns out fine!

ALMOND ROCA

2 cups (1 pound) butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 large package chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts ground in a blender

Melt butter over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until it foams up well. Continue over high heat, adding almonds. Continue to cook, stirring continually until mixture is color of mahogany and sugar is all melted. (Take it off the heat for a moment if it starts to smoke.)

Stir as you take it off the heat permanently and pour quickly onto your biggest flat pan with sides. Tilt to spread evenly.

After 5 minutes, pour on chocolate chips. When they have melted a bit, spread them over the top of the hot mixture with a rubber scraper. Scatter ground walnuts over the top, shaking to distribute evenly.

Cool at least three hours at room temperature. Candy is thoroughly cooled when the chocolate is dull looking. Break into pieces and it's ready to eat.

BAKER'S TRUFFLES
Source: BAKER'S All-Natural Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Makes about 30 candies

3 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar -- sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
nuts, finely chopped or baker's angel flake coconut

Melt chocolate in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly; cool.

Cream butter with egg yolk. Gradually add sugar, blending well. Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Chill until firm enough to handle.

Shape into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll in nuts; chill. Store in refrigerator.

BOURBON FUDGE
Servings: 64

2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup Maker's Mark Bourbon
1/2 teaspoon Orange extract
1 package (3/4 oz) slivered almonds

Combine chocolate chips and milk in large bowl and cover loosely. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes on High.

Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Add bourbon and orange extract; mix well.

Grease an 8 inch square pan and sprinkle bottom of pan with almonds. Pour mixture in pan; let stand until firm or chill in refrigerator.

CASHEW BRITTLE
From: Jo Anne Merrill

2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup, light
1 cup butter
1/2 cup water
3 cups cashews, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, sifted

Butter 2 large baking sheets; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter and water. cook over medium-high heat to boiling; stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, to soft crack stage.

Stir in chopped cashews and continue cooking, stirring frequently, to hard crack stage.

Remove from heat; quickly sprinkle in sifted baking soda over mixture, stirring constantly. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared pans. Cool completely then break candy into pieces. Store tightly covered.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON BALLS

1/2 cup margarine or butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 cup bourbon
1 package (6 ounces) milk chocolate -- chips
3 tablespoons half-and-half

Place margarine in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in sugar, nuts and bourbon. Refrigerate until firm.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate until firm.

Combine chocolate chips and half-and-half in a small bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) until chocolate chips are melted, 1 to 2-1/2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over candies. (Reheat chocolate as needed.) Chill.

* The picture shows them sitting in little paper candy cups.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES
Servings: 6

1 pint strawberries with stems on -- (preferably a long-stemmed variety), washed and patted dry
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Spread strawberries on a working surface with wax-paper-covered tray nearby. You will also need one or two bamboo skewers or other picks.

In the top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate with the cooking oil, stirring to mix thoroughly. (The cooking oil will add a beautiful shine to the completed sweet.) Place melted chocolate near working surface, but keep chocolate warm.

One at a time, insert the skewer in the stem end of a strawberry and dip into the chocolate. Lift out and shake any excess chocolate back into the pot. Place the strawberry on the wax paper and continue with the remaining berries. The strawberries should set for about 10 minutes before being served.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, during which time the chocolate will harden.

COFFEE TRUFFLES
Source: Krups
Servings: 36

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup strong coffee, freshly brewed
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons finely ground coffee

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Heat on low. Stir occasionally until chocolate melts.

At the same time, bring the heavy cream to a boil.

Remove from stove and mix the melted chocolate and cream. Whisk in butter and brewed coffee. Stir thoroughly. Place mixture into a 10 by 7 or a 9 by 9-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Chill for 2 to 3 hours or until firm to the touch.

When the chocolate mixture is chilled, sift the cocoa with the finely ground coffee on 16-inch waxed paper. Lift the chilled mixture from the pan, cut into squares and roll in the cocoa-coffee mixture. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

PISTACHIO SWIRL FUDGE
Source: 1,001 Home Ideas, February 1990
Makes 50

1 package (3-oz.) cream cheese
1 can (14-oz.) sweetened condensed milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 packages (6-oz. each) semisweet chocolate pieces
1 tablespoon sweet butter or margarine
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

Place cream cheese in small glass bowl of electric mixer or in a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) 15 to 25 seconds or until cream cheese has softened.

Add 2 tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla. Beat on low speed just until mixture is smooth; set aside.

Place remaining sweetened condensed milk, semisweet chocolate and butter in a 2 1/2-quart microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) 2 to 3 1/2 minutes or until mixture can be stirred smooth and is glossy, stirring twice.

Stir in pistachio nuts. Spread chocolate mixture evenly into prepared pan. Drop cream cheese mixture, by spoonfuls, over chocolate; swirl lightly over chocolate. Let stand until firm or place in refrigerator.

Cut into 25 even squares by making 4 lengthwise and 4 crosswise cuts equidistant from each other, then cut each square diagonally in half. Store in airtight container with waxed paper between layers. Keeps best if refrigerated.

ROCKY ROAD CANDY
Servings: 6

1 package Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons margarine
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 package miniature marshmallows

In heavy saucepan over low heat melt chocolate chips, milk, and margarine; remove from heat.

In large bowl combine nuts and marshmallows; pour over them the chocolate mixture and mix well.

Spread in waxed paper lined 13x9-inch pan and chill 2 hours. Remove from pan and peel off wax paper, cut in squares. This mixture can also be dropped by spoonfuls on waxed paper lined cookie sheets.

TOO-EASY TRUFFLES
Source: Orange County Daily Pilot Newspaper
Makes about 5 dozen truffles

1 1/2 packages (12 ounces) baker's semi-sweet chocolate
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese , softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
ground nuts or baker's angel flake coconut, toasted

Melt chocolate by placing in microwavable dish. Microwave on HIGH 3 to 4 minutes or until almost melted, stirring after each minute.

Remove from microwave. Stir until completely melted.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Add melted chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Refrigerate about 1 hour.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in nuts or coconut. Store in refrigerator.

Variation: To flavor truffles with liqueurs, omit vanilla. Divide truffle mixture into thirds. Add 1 tablespoon liqueur (almond, coffee or orange) to each third mixture; mix well.

WHITE FUDGE
Makes about 64 pieces

The fudge can be packed in pans and cut in squares or bars, or rolled in a log and sliced, then dipped in chocolate.

1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup non-dairy liquid coffee cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound white chocolate coating (wafers or block chocolate, finely chopped)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dipping chocolate (optional)

Excellently flavored, easy to make creamy white fudge. Cook first 4 ingredients without stirring to 238 degrees F.

Remove from heat and add the next 3 ingredients. Blend well.

Pack into a 9-inch square pan. When partially cool, cut into squares.

Other colors of chocolate (pink, green, yellow, butterscotch) can be added instead of white. adding appropriate flavoring, fruits or nuts.