White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Orange Fudge

White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Orange Fudge

Happy New Year! I originally planned to have a whole lineup of recipes before Christmas for cookie and candy swaps, but as the story goes for the past 4-5 months, I either can't find the time or muster the energy to get done what I've planned or hoped. I had planned a pumpkin week around Thanksgiving, but that didn't work out either. Next year (or this new year), I promise!

So without having to say, but I'll say anyway, my holiday baking also didn't go as planned this year. I usually spend close to two weeks preparing for the holidays, baking cookies, making candies, and other treats to give away. I'd have storage containers filling up the fridge and freezer to keep all my goodies fresh until I give them away to friends, family, and coworkers. My goal every year is to make one batch a day until the holidays arrived. This year, I did all of my baking and goodie making in the two days before Christmas Eve. I made a batch of biscochitos, butter cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, cinnamon roll fudge (recipe for this coming soon), and white chocolate cranberry macadamia orange fudge. I know it still seems like a lot and I got a lot done, but I didn't make nearly as many goodies as I usually got and ended up having to ration what I gave out.

This recipe I'm sharing with you today is a new recipe to me. I found this wonderful recipe on Lick the Bowl Good and discovered a great and easy way to make white chocolate fudge. The secret ingredient? A can of prepared cream cheese frosting, which happens to be my favorite canned frosting. It gives the fudge some extra flavor as well as helping keep the fudge firm but easy to cut into pieces. Another great thing about this fudge is that it takes a relatively short amount of time to prepare. Melt the chocolate and frosting together, add the mix-ins, pour into a prepared pan, pop in the fridge until set. That's it!

This fudge was one of the favorites this year and had many people compliment the fudge, so I was very pleased with the reception the fudge got. This recipe is definitely a keeper and will continue to be in the lineup of Christmas goodies! Next year I'll have to make 2 or three batches of this.

I hope you all have a great new year! 

White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Orange Fudge
Slight adapted from Lick the Bowl Good

12 oz. package white chocolate chips
16 oz. tub cream cheese frosting
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. orange extract (I couldn't find this, so I used lemon extract)
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
1/2 c. dried cranberries
3/4 c. chopped macadamia nuts
more zest and cranberries for garnish (optional)

Lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch diameter pan. Set aside. (I just lined an 8x8 pan with enough parchment paper so that it overhung from the sides. It made it easier to lift out of the pan and peel away from the fudge once the fudge set. It worked perfectly.)

Melt the baking chips in the microwave in a medium bowl.

Stir in the frosting, salt, extract, and nuts, cranberries and zest until well combined.

Scrape into the prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or until firm. Cut it into small squares to serve. 

 
Makes about 36 pieces of fudge, depending on size.