Mother Lovett was the queen of fudge.
Every December she made so much that by March a few stale, crusty pieces would still sit under a layer of plastic wrap on her ceramic holly-berry plate. Come November she would pull an aluminum tin from the freezer with more frozen pieces she’d saved “just in case.”
Chocolate was her specialty, but she also made two-toned fudge. We all loved peanut butter fudge, though she rarely made it. Instead she made butterscotch every year, plus a chocolate-butterscotch batch that mostly she — and maybe my mom — ended up eating.
It was delicious, but peanut butter was my favorite.
Last year, while going through Mother Lovett’s treasures, I found a simple recipe she may never have used. It jumped out at me because it’s incredibly easy: less than five minutes to prepare and about thirty minutes to set. It’s perfect when you’re short on time.
Chocolate and peanut butter are a fail-safe pairing, so that’s what I chose.
When I was in elementary school I learned that if you made it to Heaven, it would be full of everything you loved. I still like to imagine mine filled with chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, heavy cream, champagne and a ridiculous shoe collection. Of course I’d share it with the people I love — we’d eat fudge, drink champagne and float on fluffy clouds together.
After four pieces of this fudge, I had one thought: is this real life?
This recipe is ridiculously easy and dangerously good. When a chocolate craving hits, you can have fudge ready in minutes and set in half an hour. It’s not quite the same as Mother Lovett’s classic, but it’s quick and satisfying. I’ll share her full recipe soon.
3 Minute Chocolate-Peanut Butter Fudge
1 1/2 cups chocolate morsels
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon water
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on full power for 30 seconds, then remove and stir — the mixture should begin to smooth out. Heat for another 30 seconds and stir again. If needed, microwave in additional 30-second increments until fully smooth. Alternatively, melt the mixture over a double boiler if you prefer not to use a microwave.
When the mixture is smooth, pour it into a baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set. Once firm, cut into squares and serve.
If you ever see me up in the clouds, I’ll be the one with chocolate on my face.
P.S. — if you need a laugh, check out some of the other stories in the archive.