Recently, I’ve been reminiscing on the past, when homework consisted of being able to color in the lines and I stressed most about what I was going to put on my Christmas wish list. While remembering these memories, a certain Girl Scout trip to St. Louis kept popping up; more specifically, the day we spent at Union Station.

If any of you have been to Union Station in St. Louis, then you too probably remember the low bellowing of workers at The Fudgery singing their songs as they give out samples. Mmmm. Fudge.

Nothing beats the creamy texture of fudge, only to be followed by the crunch of nuts or Rice Krispies within the chocolate.

Enough talking, I’m hungry and want to make some now.

Dark Chocolate Toffee Fudge

Start to finish: 2 hours

Servings: 25 pieces

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 cups dark chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup toffee bits (optional)

Here’s the fun part:

Line an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick baking spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and butter in 30-second bursts on 50 percent power until melted, stirring with a rubber spatula in between bursts.
Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract, working quickly, until all the lumps are worked out.

Carefully mix in ¾ cups toffee bits, making sure to evenly distribute them before pressing the fudge into the foil-lined pan.

Take the remaining ¼ cup toffee bits and sprinkle them on the top of the fudge, pressing them into the top slightly with your hand.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until the fudge has set.

Pull the fudge out of the pan by the foil and remove the foil. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the fudge into squares.

Here are some tips:

• Run your knife under hot water between cuts to prevent tearing and to be able to cut easier.
• Swap out the toffee for another candy or nuts. The possibilities are endless.
• Use a mixture of chocolates to get a different flavor — I know not everyone loves dark chocolate as much as I do.

I’m actually eating some of this while I sit and write this … whoops. But, that just goes to show how delicious and decadent this is, so get to fudge making, fellow foodies.

Junior Laken Wagner has been spending time in the kitchen since she was five years old, where both baking and cooking have always filled her extra time. She enjoys baking more than anything else and can frequently be found decorating cakes or trying out new recipes.