Homemade Cherry Mash

I know that with all the recipes I have posted highlighting my Christmas favorites, I have stated that they have been one of my, well, favorites, but this one... this Cherry Mash...this was what I waited all year for!  Cherry Mash IS Christmas to me.  I know for sure that my cousin Cortney felt the same way!  There was something about the cherry fudge bottom and the fudgy-peanuty top that was better than anything else on that Christmas goody tray.

The original Cherry Mash is a candy bar consisting of a soft cherry flavored center covered in a mixture of peanuts and chocolate.  This homemade version is a recipe that can be found on the back of cherry chip packages.

The biggest problem with these little goodies?  It's hard to find cherry chips.  Surprisingly, I can't seem to find them in the big metropolis that I live in, but every now and than my mom can find them.  So she will usually buy a few bags and send them to me and I just keep them stored in the freezer until I'm ready to use them.  So if you want to make these and you can find the cherry chips...stock up on them, just in case!

Now if you are allergic to peanuts or don't like cherry, this will definitely not be the candy for you.  But if you can dig on cherry flavor and peanuts make you jive (not give you hives), than you need to make this...heck, so what if you have everything planned for Christmas.  Make it for New Year's, or better yet, just make it to make it.  I promise you will not be sorry! 

Homemade Cherry Mash
Recipe courtesy my Grandma Phyllis
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
16 large marshmallows (I used about 30-35 mini marshmallows)
2/3 cups (1 small can) evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
1 10oz bag cherry chips
1 12oz bag chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup chopped no skin peanuts (my grandma used salted, I used unsalted)

Directions:
In a saucepan, bring marshmallows, evaporated milk, and sugar to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the cherry chips and stir until melted.  Pour into greased 9 x 13-inch pan. (you will need to work fast, this should start setting quickly.)

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter over low heat or in a double broiler.  Stir in chopped peanuts.  Pour over cherry mixture and refrigerate until set.  Cut into small squares.  Enjoy!