Christmas is about home and family and memories. When I was a child I made cookies and treats with my mother. When I was older I made those same things with my daughters. Now I am preparing to share pieces of my childhood Christmas with my grandchildren.
One of my most vivid memories is of making fudge. My mother would fill a bowl with softened cream cheese, some pre-melted baking chocolate from a packet (couldn’t find those in any supermarket now!), and powdered sugar and hand it to my brother and I with a spoon. Our directions were simple and clear. Keep stirring until it’s fudge.
Making fudge at Christmas was my least favorite task. It was difficult. My arms got tired. And it took forever!
This year, while looking into my mother’s recipe box, I discovered that the fudge recipe wasn’t there. How could that be? My mother passed away over fifteen years ago, but the memory of making fudge remains. As do most of her recipes. File cards. Little clippings from newspapers. Lucky for me there is this thing called the internet.
The recipe used Philadelphia brand cream cheese. So…the search was easy.
It’s called Philly Fudge.
The ingredients are:
1 eight ounce package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened (just leave it out on the counter for a while).
4 cups powdered sugar.
1 four ounce package of unsweetened chocolate, melted (found in the baking aisle).
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
The directions are:
1. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl WITH A MIXER until creamy. Then gradually beat in the sugar until blended.
2. Add remaining ingredients, blend well.
3. Spread onto the bottom of an 8 inch square pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray.
4. Refrigerate several hours or until firm.
So in the official directions it says that the PREP TIME IS 15 MINUTES…and the total time, with the chilling time included is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
My fudge came out more of a chocolate brown, the choice/brand of chocolate. Husband says it’s good. That’s enough for me.
Use an electric mixer?! For only 15 minutes?! What was my mother thinking?
I made the fudge. In fifteen minutes (plus chilling time). It’s good. It’s delicious. It’s creamy. And I did ten other useful things with my afternoon.
Mom! What were you thinking?
yellow room upstairs 