Have you ever had Mexican Cocoa? It is a delightful combination of dark chocolate and cinnamon with just a tiny bite to it from cayenne pepper. If you haven’t had it, you must try it when you have a chance. In the mean time you can enjoy this spicy cinnamon chocolate fudge recipe which has all the flavors of Mexican Hot Chocolate.
This fudge is made with dark chocolate, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. You can use dark chocolate chips or a bar of dark chocolate. If you use a bar of dark chocolate, chop it up before adding it to the recipe so it will melt faster. You might think 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne is a lot to add to the fudge recipe, but the chocolate and sugar really do balance out the spiciness. However if you doubt me, feel free to reduce the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and the cayenne pepper to 1/8 of a teaspoon the first time you make it.
Depending on the sale prices, this fudge costs me between $5 – $6 to make. It makes 3 pounds, which I usually divide between 3 small tins. I add a gift tag to each tin and then give the fudge to our neighbors. If you pick up Christmas tins at the dollar store, you have an easy food gift for $3.00 each.
Alea’s Mexican Cocoa Fudge
Adapted from Easy Homemade Fudge
Yield – 3 lbs.
Preparation Time – 5 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 minutes
Cooling Time – 2 hours
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 oz. dark chocolate
- 1 – 7 oz. jar marshmallow fluff
Directions
- Use a little butter to grease a 13 x 9 serving dish
- In a large pot combine the butter, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
- Cook over high heat, stirring continuously until the mixture reaches 234 degrees (use a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature).
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in dark chocolate pieces until they are completely melted and completely mixed in.
- Stir in marshmallow cream until it is completely mixed with the chocolate.
- Pour fudge into a greased 12 x 9 serving dish (or Christmas tins) and let it set.
Edited to add: I like to put the fudge in the refrigerator to let it set, but that is because it greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to set. Once the fudge it set, I set the dish of fudge on the counter for people to nibble on it. It usually lasts on the counter for several days before my family eats it all. It holds its form well at room temperature.
What food gifts do you give at the holidays?
wondering, does this fudge need to go in the fridge to set up, and does it need to be stored in the fridge? I am looking for a good shelf stable recipe to give my kids teachers. Thank you!
I put it in the refrigerator to set, but that is because it sets so much faster in the refrigerator. It is shelf stable.
Help. I just made this and I think something went wrong. When I added the chocolate and started storing it got crumbly. I was able to fully incorporate the chocolate and fluff but it wasn’t creamy and smooth. And I didn’t pour it into the pan but scooped it with a wooden spoon. Is this how it is supposed to be? Or should it be a smooth liquid? Help.
It shouldn’t be liquid, but it should be so thick that it has to be scooped out. It should be thick, but flowing as you pour it into the pan. It sounds like it was cooked at too high of a temperature. Have you calibrated your thermometer to make sure it is working properly.
It should still be edible, but perhaps not gift-worthy.
Can the bricks of Mexican chocolate be used? And if so, how? Melt with butter milk and sugar? Or add with chocolate chips?
If you use bricks of Mexican chocolate, chop it into small pieces and use it in place of the chocolate chips in the recipe above.