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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — I've had birthday foods on my mind all week long. My choices varied from pumpkin cheese cake, blackberry pie and chocolate mousse. Then, I decided (being a Libra, the sun sign of scales, this can be a challenge) to whip up a batch of fudge. Instead of peanut butter or coffee flavor, I turned to a chocolate fudge with an Italian, nutty twist.
Last fall I tried my hand at fail-proof fudge but it failed.
I didn't use enough sugar or flavoring. Worse, I didn't allow time for it to chill. So, the gooey fudge of my nightmares brought back memories of my suburban childhood candy making days full of mega meltdowns and absurd messes. And scolding from my mother (the queen of baking) playback in my head: “You wasted all this food when children are starving in other countries?” to “Why didn't you use a candy thermometer?” didn't make the kitchen disaster scenes any sweeter. But, decades later in my pre-golden years, I have mastered the art of making the sweetest fudge. And my rustic cabin kitchen survived.
If you do a Google search for Chocolate Fudge recipes you'll be overwhelmed with dozens of recipes — using exactly the same ingredients. I like to use my own signature and keep it healthy as possible for a decadent high fat, sugary treat. Forget evaporated milk, corn syrup, milk chocolate, and artificial sugar. I kept it real (as possible).
The end result: On my birthday Thursday I woke up to a cup of fresh gourmet Mistletoe Delight, a brewed nutty coffee with caramel cream undertones (a gift for my next book), a large orange, and a small piece of Italian Almond Fudge. I took my Continental breakfast back to bed in the mountains and snuggled up under the comforters with my two fun-loving Brittanys and calming Zen cat. It was a perfect birthday breakfast after our first snow flurry of the autumn season.
Motto: Break the rules. Instead of following tradition, think outside of the cake box and do what feels right for you.
— Cal Orey is an accomplished author and journalist. Her books include The Healing Powers series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate and Honey) published by Kensington. Her website is www.calorey.com.
Last fall I tried my hand at fail-proof fudge but it failed.
I didn't use enough sugar or flavoring. Worse, I didn't allow time for it to chill. So, the gooey fudge of my nightmares brought back memories of my suburban childhood candy making days full of mega meltdowns and absurd messes. And scolding from my mother (the queen of baking) playback in my head: “You wasted all this food when children are starving in other countries?” to “Why didn't you use a candy thermometer?” didn't make the kitchen disaster scenes any sweeter. But, decades later in my pre-golden years, I have mastered the art of making the sweetest fudge. And my rustic cabin kitchen survived.
If you do a Google search for Chocolate Fudge recipes you'll be overwhelmed with dozens of recipes — using exactly the same ingredients. I like to use my own signature and keep it healthy as possible for a decadent high fat, sugary treat. Forget evaporated milk, corn syrup, milk chocolate, and artificial sugar. I kept it real (as possible).
The end result: On my birthday Thursday I woke up to a cup of fresh gourmet Mistletoe Delight, a brewed nutty coffee with caramel cream undertones (a gift for my next book), a large orange, and a small piece of Italian Almond Fudge. I took my Continental breakfast back to bed in the mountains and snuggled up under the comforters with my two fun-loving Brittanys and calming Zen cat. It was a perfect birthday breakfast after our first snow flurry of the autumn season.
Motto: Break the rules. Instead of following tradition, think outside of the cake box and do what feels right for you.
— Cal Orey is an accomplished author and journalist. Her books include The Healing Powers series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate and Honey) published by Kensington. Her website is www.calorey.com.
