Nutella Ganache Fudge

We said goodbye this week to a very sweet lady from church who is moving to an out-of-town assisted living place. She's a local legend and it was sad for all of us. I made this recipe to take to the reception we had, and it was a hit, so here it is.

This recipe is actually the filling of the truffles Mom and I made last year. I didn't have time to roll out and dip the truffles, so I just poured it into a glass pan, chilled it, cut it into chunks, and called it fudge.

Nutella Ganache Fudge

Ingredients

9 oz dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks (I suggest Trader Joe's dark chocolate because it's cheap and good)

1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T. butter (unsalted is better)
1 t. light corn syrup (or more if you want it sweeter) -- you could probably substitute honey, but not regular sugar, because it'd get grainy

2-4 T. Nutella (I first had this in France, spread on French bread for breakfast. It's a chocolate hazelnut spread that's absolutely delicious. You used to have to get it at a specialty store, but grocery stores and Walmart carry it now, usually in the PB&J aisle.)

Directions

Have chocolate chunks ready in a bowl. Put cream, butter, and corn syrup in small pot and bring to a boil. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate but DO NOT STIR YET. Wait 5 minutes, then stir with a whisk (it must be a whisk) until it is combined. If you have any lumps left, you can microwave gently (half power) for a little while and then whisk until lumps are gone. Stir in the Nutella. Pour hot mixture into an 8" x 6" pan. If you like, you can swirl it with a toothpick to make the top look pretty. Cover and chill until hard. I let it chill overnight, but it doesn't have to take that long.

Cutting and prying it out of the pan is a delicate business. I suggest using the thinnest metal utensil you have (like a small metal spatula) along with a sharp, straight-edged knife (like a cleaver). Butter both utensils well (with real butter, not spray) and wipe them often to remove the chocolate that builds up on them. The thin metal utensil may sometimes cut better than the cleaver, and then you can use it to pry the pieces out. Be patient. When you've cut the fudge, return to the fridge until time to serve.

I thought of trying to freeze the fudge for a few minutes before cutting it, but as my freezer is tiny, full, and desperately in need of being defrosted, I decided to give up that idea. If someone else tries it, please let me know how it works.