By Kelley Coffeen

For El Rito Media

Happy Holidays! In the midst of this busy season, we are making lists, shopping, wrapping, and hosting in one month more than some of us do all year. I do love it, though, and always try to make special dishes and sweet treats for family and friends.

I am not a big baker, but I do enjoy making candy and confections this time of year. I usually take a couple of days in the kitchen to make family favorites like pralines full of New Mexico pecans, peanut butter fudge and my Mexican Chocolate Fudge.

Growing up along the southern border has given me an appreciation for Mexican chocolate.

I developed this recipe after falling in love with its combination of cacao, cinnamon and a spicy chile flavor. It is a rich, rustic flavor more complex than regular chocolate. Try it – you may surprise your guests with this elevated holiday fudge. You can find it in my latest cookbook, The Big Book of Hatch Chile (UNM Press, 2023)

Creamy Mexican Chocolate Fudge

(makes 10 to 12 servings)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

3 cups white sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. Hatch red chile powder*

One 7-oz. jar of marshmallow cream

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped**

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare a glass baking dish by coating with butter; use a 10 × 10 inch pan

for thicker fudge or a 7 × 11 inch for pan a thinner fudge.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add evaporated

milk, sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder, then stir with a long

wooden spoon until dissolved in butter. Scrape all sugar crystals on

the side of the pot into the butter. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

3. Bring sugar mixture to a full boil for 4 to 5 minutes or until candy thermometer

reaching 235 degrees. Remove saucepan from heat.

4. Working quickly, add marshmallow cream to the sugar mixture, mixing well.

5. Slowly stir in chocolate chips, then stir quickly as they melt until smooth.

6. Fold in vanilla and pecans, again, stirring until smooth.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and allow to cool at room temperature for at

least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into -inch squares and serve.

*Look for Hatch or New Mexico Red Chile Powder at your local grocery store.

** For toasted pecans, spread pecans out on a baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees

for 4 to 5 minutes, just until they become fragrant.

This recipe is from The Big Book of Hatch Chile (UNM Press 2023). It is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, UNM Press https://www.unmpress.com/9780826365439/the-big-book-of-hatch-chile/

Follow me on Instagram at @kelleys_kitchen.