Did you know that making fudge at home could be an easy and pain-free process? I certainly did not, at least not until I started working on this recipe for Nutella fudge. This recipe for Nutella fudge uses chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk as a base. As a result, it is easier to make than traditional fudge recipes that use milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder.
This easy recipe has only 5 ingredients and takes only a few minutes to make! Who knew you could make something so delicious in so little time?
Is Nutella gluten free?
Is Nutella gluten free? The answer to that question is yes, Nutella is indeed gluten free! If you are anything like me you might be surprised to hear this. When I first learned that I had celiac disease, I wrote off most of the tasty processed snacks that I used to love. I assumed that most of them contained gluten or were potentially cross contaminated with gluten. In most cases I was correct in assuming this, but in the case of Nutella I was wrong!
How to make fudge the easy way
I have made fudge completely from scratch using milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder and I have also made fudge using pre-processed ingredients like condensed milk and chocolate chips. I find that if you want to make a quick and easy fudge then using condensed milk and chocolate chips as your starting point is the best way to go.
If you make your fudge completely from scratch with milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder you have to be much more careful about what temperature your fudge is at and when you stir it. If you stir the fudge too much or too little it might result in the fudge not setting properly or becoming gritty rather than creamy. If you use condensed milk and chocolate chips, things just seem to work themselves out. It feels like magic, but it is more likely attributable to science and the processing that is done to the chocolate chips and condensed milk to make sure the ingredients do not separate.
How long does fudge take to set?
How long does it take fudge to set? This question depends on what kind of fudge you are making. Fudge that is made from scratch with milk, butter, sugar, and cocoa powder usually takes around 3 hours to set. This no easy Nutella fudge should set within about 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Should you refrigerate fudge after making?
Do you need to refrigerate fudge after making it? Generally the answer to that question is no. Fudge will keep fine at room temperature for a few days without being refrigerated. I will add a caveat that if it is the summer and you live in a warm humid climate you might want to refrigerate your fudge.
Can I use evaporated milk instead of condensed milk for fudge?
You cannot substitute evaporated milk for condensed milk to make fudge, at least not directly. Sweetened condensed milk has a higher sugar content than evaporated milk and this sugar content is important in terms of helping the fudge set. If you want to substitute evaporated milk for the sweetened condensed milk you are going to need to add additional sugar to the mixture.
No bake Nutella fudge
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup roasted hazelnuts
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Line a pan with saran wrap so that the fudge has a place to cool and set. I use an 8 inch x 6 inch food storage container but you could also use an 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish or any other dish of a similar in size.
- Pulse the hazelnuts in a food processor. You do not want the hazelnuts to be ground into a fine powder, just crushed into small chunky pieces.
- Combine the evaporated milk and nutella in a sauce pan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Remove the pan from the burner and wait about a minute before adding the chocolate chips. Stir the mixture until the chocolate chips melt.You should also add half of the chopped hazelnuts to the fudge mixture. You can add the hazelnuts when you add the chocolate chips, but I recommend adding them after the chocolate chips have melted. If you add the hazelnuts when you add the chocolate chips it can be hard to tell whether any lumps in the mixture are unmelted chocolate chips or hazelnuts.
- Pour the fudge into the saran wrap lined container and sprinkle sea salt and the rest of the hazelnuts over the top of the fudge. Gently press the hazelnuts into the fudge while the fudge is still warm.
- Cover the fudge mixture and put it in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour.
Other recipes you might like
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to this Nutella fudge you should check out our recipe for homemade chocolate hazelnut Larabars. These tasty chocolate and hazelnut flavored treats contain no added sugars or fats.
Are you looking for another easy dessert recipe that combines chocolate and hazelnuts? Check out this recipe for chocolate raspberry bark with raspberries, hazelnuts, and toasted coconut!
If you are looking for another easy chocolate based dessert recipe you should check out our recipe for gluten free Oreo truffles. These sweet truffles are made with gluten free Oreo alternatives, but you could also use regular Oreos if you do not have a gluten intolerance.
