CHERRY ALMOND FUDGE

3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup evaporated milk

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Add the almond extract to the cherries in their juice and set aside. Toast the almonds in a 350 degree oven. Put them on an aluminum foil lined pan and check every 5 minutes, stir and go another 5 minutes until they are lightly browned. It could take another few minutes depending on your oven. Set aside to cool. Now drain the cherries, try to get as much of the liquid out as possible as this will make the fudge a little gooey where the cherries are. I cut my cherries in half and that helped, now for the fudge part.

I used a 11x7x1.5 inch glass pyrex pan lined with foil coming up over the edge so you can lift out the fudge after it cools, be sure to butter the foil so your fudge doesn't stick. You may use any pan around 9 or 10 inches. I think a 13 x 9 inch would be a bit big and make the fudge to thin. You want to use a heavy 3 quart sauce-pan for cooking the fudge. Melt the butter, add the sugar and milk, mix well. Now put on a medium heat and bring to a boil. Keep stirring or it might burn. If you have a candy thermometer it should reach 234 degrees and take off the heat, otherwise bring to a boil and boil for about 4 minutes now, take off the heat, mix in the chocolate and marshmallow creme this will take a few minutes. You want to make sure it is mixed really good. I add the chocolate first mix that in and then the marshmallow creme and mix that in. Add the cherries, vanilla and almonds when mixed good pour into prepared pan and let it cool. I store it in the refrigerator. (it gets a little hard so when I want to eat some I take a little out and let it sit at room temperature) It will make around 3 pounds of fudge and the time frame for preparing would be around 30-45 minutes. I always allow an hour just in case something doesn't go as planned. It is best if you don't have any inturptions when making candy it is a very sensitive thing to make and needs concentration. If you are in a humid climate you might have to adjust your cooking time and go a few degrees higher or boil for a couple extra minutes this is hard for me to say exactly because it really depends on you particular situation. If you make it a few times you can usually figure it out and if it fails it is still very good as a topping so you won't have to throw it out(unless you burn it)

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ENJOY