Sparkling Icy Crunch Fudge

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 (225 g) package clear mint hard candies
• 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (300 ml) can sweetened condensed milk

Recipe

• 1 line an 8 inch square pan with waxed paper, using two 15" by 7" strips. cross one strip over the other, at right angles; so that strips hang equally over all sides of the pan. this makes removal much easier.
• 2 unwrap candies and put them in a heavy-duty freezer bag. smash with a wooden meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pot until finely crushed.
• 3 in a 1.5 - 2 l microwave-safe bowl, stir together chocolate chips and condensed milk.
• 4 microwave, uncovered, at medium power for 1 minute. wearing oven mitts, remove bowl from microwave; stir well.
• 5 return to microwave and and heat again, uncovered, at medium power for another 1 minute. remove bowl once again; and stir well until smooth.
• 6 measure out 1/4 cup crushed candy, set aside. pour remaining crushed candy into chocolate mixture and stir well. using a stiff, heatproof spatula, scrape fudge into prepared pan. push mixture into all four corners of pan until evenly distibuted, smoothing top with spatula.
• 7 sprinkle reserved candy evenly over top, pressing down gently with your hands so it sticks to the fudge. fold paper over top of the pan. refrigerate 1-2 hours, until firm.
• 8 lift fudge out of pan by grasping edges of waxed paper. place on a board, and carefully peel off waxed paper. cut into small squares. put each square in a paper candy cup. arrange in festive gift boxes.
• 9 can be stored, refrigerated for up to 3 days.