Merry Christmas Eve!

I hope all your stockings are hung by the chimney with glee! Over at our house preparations are underway for Christmas Eve dinner. It’s tradition that we have tamales and tortilla soup! Maybe it’s a Texas thing? Over the last couple of weeks we’ve tried four, yes four, different kinds of tamales from restaurants all over Dallas to yet again settle on the same tamales we’ve had in past years, because well they’re the best. yum! What do you typically have on Christmas Eve? Peanut is in his “ugly Christmas sweater” and I’m just itching to put the Doctor Who Christmas Special on TV! Next on my baking list is a Bouche de Noel for Christmas, but first! I have to share this recipe with you and whoa is it a good one!

I made my way through Pinterest the other day through another recipe and happened upon this one, Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt, at Cookin’ Canuck, an insanely cute blog with wonderful recipes. Dara shared this recipe by Giada de Laurentis, my favorite TV cooking personality, last year around Christmas and I could not wait to try it. I wish I’d shared it sooner, but all I can say is make this now while the family’s still over and holiday spirit’s in the air! You won’t be disappointed! Are you drooling yet? Cause I am and I wish I had some left!

I made it last week and it disappeared within a day or two. I might have eaten most of it :-D. whoops! It’s delicious, chocolaty with that touch of hazelnut and a hint of sea salt on top. It’s easy too- Mix all the ingredients together in a double boiler, then set in the fridge and sprinkle with sea salt. Then eat all you can of it before the relatives come over!

Here’s how you do it… In a glass or metal bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, Nutella, and butter. You need a little more than half a Nutella jar if you’re using the small size. If you go through a Nutella jar, save it! It makes some awesome overnight oatmeal.

Place bowl over a steaming pot of water to form a double boiler. This will slowly melt the ingredients together. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water!

Stir until the chocolate chips and butter are melted and all of the ingredients have come together. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Spread mixture into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment and refrigerate until solid, about 2 hours. When you’re ready to cut the fudge, remove it from the pan, flip it over (I found that there’s a film from the butter on the top and the underside actually looks butter), and sprinkle with sea salt. If you salt the fudge before refrigerating it disappears and you lose that great snow-like appearance. The best kind to use is the bigger flakes found in Kosher salt. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy!