If fudge means chocolate to you then I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed here, no chocolate, but if you’re looking for an easy sweet peanut butter fix then follow me…
WHAT YOU NEED:
2 cups sugar (we used white)
1/2 cup milk
1 Tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup peanut butter (we used smooth)
WHAT YOU DO:
1. Bring sugar and milk to the boil on a medium heat, then boil for two and a half minutes. I don’t know about you, but when I have to time something boiling, I’m never quite sure when the exact moment is to start timing. This is what we did, and it seemed to work:
First the bubbles begin at the edges, don’t start the timer yet:
Then the bubbles start to work their way in, don’t start the timer yet:
They work their way right into the middle, still don’t start the timer:
Suddenly it all rises up in the pan, NOW is when you start the timer. NOW is also when you wish you had used a bigger pan:
Thankfully it didn’t boil over, but we had two and a half minutes of anxious staring.
2. After two and a half minutes, remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla essence.
3. Pour quickly into a foil lined square or rectangle dish. Ours was 23cm x 17cm. I say pour “quickly” because this stuff starts to set as soon as it leaves the warmth of the pan.
4. Leave to cool at room temperature for about 15 mins and then transfer to the fridge to set fully for about 2 hours.
5. Turn out, cut into squares and voila!
This is seriously sweet, one or two squares is enough. Now that I know how easy this basic recipe is, I’m going to try some different variations, at least one of which will no doubt involve chocolate. I shall report back at a later date…
Happy fudge days everyone!
Sugarness...recipes from me to you 
This looks fudging delicious!
LikeLike
Yes, definitely too sweet though! Still, at least that stops any over-indulging it in.
LikeLike
I’m not a huge fan of fudge, but I know my husband would love this. Bet it’s calorically naughty though. Everything with peanut butter usually is. Not fair, not fair…
LikeLike
I’m a fan of certain types and flavours of fudge, I’m not overly keen on the intensely chocolately kind, but I think the addition of some chocolate chips into this one would be welcome! I’m thinking this one might be better with an unsweetened peanut butter to cut down on the overall sweetness (I always forget that general peanut butter tends to have added sugar, but when I remember I buy the more natural kind).
LikeLike
I bet the grand kids will love this. I might sneak a piece or two before they know about the fudge. I wonder if less sugar will still set it as fast. I’m willing to give this a go. ❤ Thanks, Vanessa. Nothing wrong with easy.
LikeLike
I’m always wary about changing the proportions of ingredients with things that have to set. I’m thinking of just adding bits to stir into it to cut the sweetness a bit, maybe whole salted peanuts would be good.
LikeLike
THAT is a scrumptious idea and I love the contrast of tastes. 😀
LikeLike
Yes I think the salt would be good here!
LikeLike
Can’t wait.
LikeLike
I like how you keep saying, “not yet”.
LikeLike
I was making this with my son, and we started the timer at each of those stages in the photographs and then when it got to the next stage, we were like “No, I don’t think that was really boiling before, start the timer again!”, and then finally when it rose up the man, we knew it was definitely boiling!
LikeLike
I have to let you know, I read “vanilla essence” as “Vanessa essence” on first glance, and all I could think was, “Oh, so it’s add a laugh and two smiles!” 😀
This sounds like great fun, and much more my speed with baking. I’ll have to try it…and soon!
LikeLike
Essence of Vanessa – ha!
It’s really so quick and easy, but it is SOOO sweet, it’s like eating frosting, so next time I’m definitely going to try and cut the sweetness in some way.
LikeLike
If overly sweet concerns you, I think you’re right that a natural peanut butter would help. And maybe dark or bitter chocolate as an addition would be better than milk chocolate. I love nuts in my fudge so I wonder if a chunky natural peanut butter would work, too….
Oh, the calories, the calories! But that could be helped by making this as a dish to pass for a get together…. Mmm, time to have a party, maybe?!
LikeLike
Yes, I mentioned in my reply to Tess up there, that I thought whole salted peanuts would be a good addition, I think the saltiness would really help to balance it out. Sweetness is a funny thing isn’t it, like people can find some things too sweet and other things not, and other people can be the reverse with both those things, if that makes sense! I love Cadbury’s Creme Eggs but many people find them far too sweet. This fudge is very sugary so it’s the pure sugariness that’s too much for me I think. The calories aren’t too much of an issue though for me if I can’t manage more than a square! But sure, let’s have an introverts’ party 🙂
LikeLike
Noms.
LikeLike
Noms.
LikeLike
It’s so nice to find a blog where no one is telling me to cast off my sugar habits! 🙂 This looks wonderful!
Paige
LikeLike
Well, a little bit of what we fancy does us good right? 🙂
LikeLike
Agreed. I’ll work on the “little bit” part…!
Paige
LikeLike
It’s all relative, one person’s “little bit” is another person’s “not nearly enough”.
LikeLike
I suppose the definition ultimately comes down to whether one’s jeans are stretchy. 😀
Have a great weekend!
LikeLike
Indeed! Thank you, you too! 🙂
LikeLike
Do you have to stir while it it reaches boiling point? tried this recipe and it does not want to set all ingredients are perfect, so I guess my method is flawed
LikeLike