chocolate fudge with balsamic and sea salt

My parents (and Chookie Chookie Grandma) recently got back from a trip to New York and Maine to visit family on my dad's side.  They went to New York to celebrate my cousin's high school graduation, and then they continued up to Maine to visit my aunts and see their new store.  (I would have loved to have gone, but unfortunately my husband and I both had to work that week.  Hopefully we'll get up there soon.)

I'm surprised the three of them ever came home.  They were raving about the store and the city of Boothbay for days!  My aunts started Eventide Specialties as a place to buy high-quality olive oil, vinegars, pasta, and other delicious things.  From the pictures I've seen, the store looks super-cute and it overlooks the harbor.  (How cool is that???)



For Christmas, my aunts sent our families different oils and vinegars to try.  I got some Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic Vinegar.  It kind of has been sitting on my counter since then...oops!  It smells so good and looks so pretty, but I had no idea what to do with it.  But, luckily, my parents brought me a recipe from their store for chocolate fudge using their flavored balsamics.  Happy day!

So, last night I finally got around to making their fudge recipe.  It know what you're thinking: "Vinegar, cinnamon, and salt shouldn't be in fudge".  I thought that too.  I (and you) couldn't have been more wrong.  The sea salt and vinegar pretty much make it.  Crazy, I know.

This recipe takes about 5 minutes, but looks super-fancy and tastes so decadent.  The best part is that no oven is required.  There's absolutely no need to heat yourself out of your already-too-warm summer kitchen.


Chocolate Fudge with Balsamic and Sea Salt
Recipe from Eventide Specialties
Makes an 8x8 pan

Ingredients:

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp cinnamon (I just used 1 tsp, because I used cinnamon balsamic)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used Eventide's Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic Condimento, but I imagine raspberry or strawberry balsamics would be delicious too)
• 3 tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 c chocolate chips
• sea salt, for sprinkling

Grease and line an 8x8 baking pan with waxed paper, leaving some waxed paper overhang for easy removal.  Combine the condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla and balsamic vinegar in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Add the butter and chocolate chips and combine everything well.  Microwave the mixture on high for 1 minute and stir.  Microwave for another 30 seconds and mix everything together well.  If it isn't completely smooth after mixing, microwave it for another 30 seconds until very smooth.  Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan.  Spread it, so that it's even on the top.  Sprinkle the sea salt over the fudge and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, until it's set.  Enjoy!