During the summers when we were kids, we spent a lot of time on the beaches of Cape May. When we got there and headed for the boardwalk, my sister and I would make a beeline for our first fudge purchase. A quarter-pound would last us all week, and we would each choose a different flavor and share. Our favorites were the peanut butter and maple walnut varieties. Finishing off the week with a little bit of obligatory salt water taffy, it made for some very sweet summer memories. No pun intended.
I met up with an old high school friend at the farmer’s market last weekend, and that presented the perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe… to bring her sweet treats, of course! When it comes to making candy or fudge, I pass by a lot of recipes, particularly the ones that require a candy thermometer. I have one, somewhere, most likely buried in the drawer that holds kitchen gizmos that I’ll likely never use (note to self: that’s the next spot for the big purge). It would probably take longer to find the thermometer than to actually make the recipe, and frankly, I can’t be bothered. I want it quick. And now. It’s all about instant gratification these days, baby.
So when I spied an uber-easy recipe for Butter Pecan Fudge in a holiday issue of Taste of Home magazine that didn’t require the use of a candy thermometer, or any other fancy gadget for that matter, I was sold. Seriously, the recipe took no longer than 10 minutes to make, start to finish. It was all I could do to wait for it to set up.
About an hour later, I headed back to the kitchen to give it a try. I cut off a small piece and popped it in my mouth. Commence heavy swoonage. As the sugary crystals quickly became heat-seeking missiles for any cavities I might have, I closed my eyes to savor the sweetness. This one is a keeper. It’s creamy. It’s buttery. It’s caramely. It’s everything you want in a piece of fudge, and then some.
With ingredients you likely already have on hand in your very own kitchen, you are just a short hour (from beginning to the fudge setting) from savoring these babies in your own mouth. What are you waiting for?…