Fudgery, not Drudgery: Easy Fixes for Fudge Day

Every day is a holiday, and today is no exception: it’s National Fudge Day. Legend has it that modern-day fudge was invented by a group of girls attending Vassar College in the late 1890s.

They came up with this divine concoction to satisfy their midnight sweet cravings, cooked it over a gas or oil flame in their dorm rooms and served it to each other on scraps of cardboard (again, this is legend, so bear with me…). However it came to be, we can all enjoy a little fudge today with these easy, quick recipes.

(These great recipes — and 1,000 more — can be found in Lehman’s 55th Anniversary Cookbook.)

Five-Minute Fudge
2/3 c. undiluted evaporated milk
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. diced marshmallows
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine evaporated milk with sugar in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until marshmallows are melted. Pour into buttered 8″ or 9″ square pan.

Peanut Butter Fudge
2 lbs (5 c.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 T. butter
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

Stir powdered sugar, salt, butter and milk together in a double boiler over boiling water. Mix until very smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9″x13″ pan. Cool, covered, at room temperature until semi-firm (it will be soft). Cut into squares.

Fudge Puddles
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Fudge Filling:
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Chill for 1 hour. Shape into 48 balls. Place in lightly greased mini muffin tins. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 min. or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make ‘wells’ in the center of each by lightly pressing with a melon baller or tart tamper. Cool for 5 min., then carefully remove to wire racks.

Filling: Melt chocolate chips over low heat. Stir in milk and vanilla. Drizzle 1 T. into the center of each baked shell. Enjoy!