Root Beer Float Fudge

On September of this year, I received a cookbook gift from The Daring Bakers; thank you Lis, Lisa, and Mandy for choosing my Chocolate-coated Brown Sugar Meringue and Caramel Candy as one of the top three candies. The book is CHOCOLATES AND CONFECTIONS from the Culinary Institute of America by Peter P. Greweling. 

I have made a few of the candies in the book and they are really good and easy to make too. Today I made half a batch of Root Beer Float Fudge. I've never used root beer extract/flavoring before as candy or cake flavoring. I got curious and also, after reading the ingredients, it's hard for me to resist anything that has marshmallows in it. 

I bought 2 different brands of root beer extract, both have natural and artificial flavors and some additives. I would have liked pure extract but they are only available from online stores. The penuche-like fudge is simple to make and I love it but I can only eat a piece at a time because it's much too much sweet for me. I'm not sure how to make the fudge less sweet without altering its consistency.  

Root Beer Float Fudge
adapted from CHOCOLATES AND CONFECTIONS

4 cups sugar
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons flaked sea salt
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
2 teaspoons root beer extract or flavoring
2 cups mini marshmallows
soft butter for pan

• In a 4-quart saucepan, combine sugar, cream, corn syrup, milk, sea salt, and vanilla bean seeds and pod. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until candy thermometer registers 236°F. Remove from heat and stir in root beer extract. Transfer into a 13 x 9 inch sheet pan. Remove the vanilla bean with a fork [rinse, dry, and keep for another use]. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature to 120°F. 
• Butter a 9-inch square pan; set aside. 
• Transfer the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes or until candy has lightened in color, has lost its sheen, and has thickened slightly. Stir in marshmallows and stop mixing. Transfer into the prepared pan; spread with an offset spatula. Leave on the kitchen counter to crystallize for 1 hour. Cut into 1-inch squares.