Peppermint Hot Fudge

Something about this time of year makes all of the peppermint flavored everything just scream for my attention.  I've eaten almost an entire tray of peppermint fudge in the last 5 days.  I just feel this need for it.  This happens every year, though.  I never liked peppermint-anything until Christmas 2010 when I had a peppermint brownie at an army Christmas party and life has never been the same.  

We're having an ice cream cake on Christmas because: 1. Holidays by yourself mean you do what you want. 2. I've had this ice cream cake in the back of my head for 2 years and there's no better time than Christmas for it. 

I want to share the hot fudge I'm using for the ice cream cake today though.  In case you need something to eat with a spoon while you're making your Christmas preparations.  

I first made it using an Our Best Bites recipe 4 years ago and it was perfect for a homemade Christmas gift.  Put it in a little mason jar and tie with a ribbon.  I tweaked the recipe a bit for my purposes this year and it is so incredibly easy to make that you have absolutely no excuse for buying hot fudge anymore.  This is probably cheaper too.  I almost always have these ingredients on hand.  Really, you have no excuse not to give this a try!

Peppermint Hot Fudge

makes about 2 cups

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 T. butter

3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1 t. vanilla extract

1 t. peppermint extract

Mix everything together in a saucepan and stir over low heat until it's melted and combined.

Or you can put it in a Little Dipper and stir every so often while it's melting.  Perfect for a fondue!