Oh Fudge!

[tracilicious]

Chocolate Fudge that is. I tried to make some last night and it didn't exactly turn out. It never really poured into the pan, I had to scoop it. I'm thinking my problem was ingredients. I used turbinado sugar instead of refined, coconut oil instead of butter, and sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk (are those two the same?). Which ingredient was my downfall? It was really really grainy and way too sweet. I was making dark fudge too.

I really need to make the best fudge ever. I'm throwing my sister a tenth anniversary party in a few weeks, and I had the bright idea of having a fudge cake. I'm thinking of making six different kinds of fudge, cutting them in even squares and putting them together in a cake shape. Then I'll write the "Happy Anniversary" in Caramel and garnish with fresh cut strawberries. If I can't make good fudge, this won't work very well.

Any ideas for types of fudge? Any general party ideas? It's 25-30 people including six or seven kids. I should note that it's my family who comes to a dinner party with a, "Free food? Score!" mentallity, so I have to go over on food, not under. Right now I'm thinking of making a few big, yummy salads, lots of garlic bread, a few big pasta dishes (maybe lasagna and fettucine alfredo w/chicken and artichoke hearts), a bunch of baked chicken, and beef of some sort.

I should mention that I don't have recipes for any of that stuff and I've never cooked for this many people before. So any ideas are welcome!