The Fudge Debate

The best fudge as far as I'm concerned was made by my Dad. It was the kind that used sugar and heavy cream and baking chocolate. It required some candy making skills and attention to temperature. Every time I tried to make it it ended up a crumby mess. Guess I didn't pay enough attention to when it had cooled enough to add the butter or stir or something. His version sometimes included black walnuts. That was my favorite. My brother now makes the best fudge, a skill he inherited from Dad. Plus, he pays attention.

Recently Sweetie, my daughter and I visited friends for Christmas. They served their favorite fudge, the kind made with marshmallow cream and evaporated milk. It was good fudge, but not quite as good as the kind my brother makes. Of course, I'm biased.

As a gift for a friend, I recently made a super easy fudge using sweetened condensed milk. I think that a lot of the part that I do wrong had already been done by the milk manufacturer. The fudge wasn't as good as Dad's, but seemed just as good as the marshmallow cream version, and very, very easy. It comes to us from the fabulous Patricia at Technicolor Kitchen.

Fabulous Five-minute Fudge

2 cups (12oz/336g) semisweet chocolate pieces
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (196g/one-half of a 14-ounce can)
1 tablespoon water
¾ cup (90g) chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
1 teaspoon vanilla

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and water.

Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 1 minute more, or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.

Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a 22x15cm* (9x6-inch) rectangle, or drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.

Chill fudge about 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into 3.5cm (approx. 1-1/2-inch) squares

Makes 24 pieces



* (Patricia says) I used a 27x15 cm baking sheet and spread the fudge completely inside it – I got 28 squares.

From Technicolor Kitchen 11-07


So which kind of fudge do you say is best? Do you have a recipe that is killer? Join the debate, but try Patricia's version sometime...you'll be glad you did.