Mother Lovett was famous for her fudge.
Each December she made so much that by March a few stale, crusty pieces would still sit under plastic wrap on her ceramic holly berry plate. And every November she’d retrieve an aluminum tin from the freezer that held a few more frozen pieces she kept “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 fudge every year and often mixed chocolate and butterscotch into a batch that mostly she—and maybe my mom—ate.
The chocolate-butterscotch was good, but to me peanut butter was always better.
While sorting through Mother Lovett’s recipes and notes last year, I found a simple chocolate-peanut butter fudge recipe she may never have used. It jumped out at me because it’s so easy—less than five minutes to prepare and about 30 minutes to set—perfect when you’re short on time.
Chocolate and peanut butter is a timeless pairing, so naturally that’s the version I chose.
In elementary school we learned that if we were lucky enough to get to Heaven, it would be filled with everything we loved. I’ll admit I still picture mine stocked with chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, heavy cream, champagne and a ridiculous number of shoes. My family would join me there, sharing fudge and toasting on fluffy clouds.
After four pieces of this fudge, I found myself asking: is this real life?
This recipe is dangerously easy and dangerously delicious. The next time you’re hit with a sudden chocolate craving, you can satisfy it in less than a minute of hands-on time. It’s not exactly the same as Mother Lovett’s classic recipe, but it’s an excellent quick fix.
3-Minute Chocolate-Peanut Butter Fudge
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chocolate morsels
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon water
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on full power for 30 seconds, then remove and stir. Repeat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the mixture is smooth—usually two to three intervals depending on your microwave. (If you prefer, melt the mixture over a double boiler instead of using the microwave.)
When smooth, pour the mixture into a baking dish and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until set. Cut into squares to serve.
If you ever see me among the clouds, I’ll be the one with chocolate on my face.
P.S. — if you need a laugh…