9 DIY fudge treats for the mom with a sweet tooth

First make fudge:

Makes 10–12 pieces

Pour 4 cups of brown sugar into a deep saucepan and add 3 cups double-thick cream. Melt over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer over a low heat for 5–10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, add a pinch of salt and the seeds from half a vanilla pod. Beat with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Pour into a greaseproof container and allow at least 2 hours to set.

Flavour twists: Swap the vanilla for chocolate, candied ginger, lemon rind, freshly ground black pepper or freshly chopped thyme, or add a handful of chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts.

If the classic soft fudge isn’t quite enough to express your gratitude, try one these 5 ways to take your home-made Mother’s Day present to the next fudge-tastic level.

Pressed for time? Use the ready-made version from your nearest Woolies...

Berry-and-fudge flapjacks

Prepare 1 x 300 g Woolworths pancake kit according to package instructions. Fold 200 g Woolworths frozen mixed berries into the mixture. Chop 1 x 165 g Woolworths fudge bar into pieces. Ladle a little batter into a hot nonstick pan, then sprinkle over a little fudge. Turn to cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve hot with mascarpone and a dusting of cinnamon.

DIY chocolate-covered fudge

Cut 1 x 165 g bar Woolworths handcrafted vanilla-flavoured fudge into blocks. Melt 200–300 g dark or milk chocolate, then dip each block of fudge into the chocolate to coat it evenly. Sprinkle the top of each block with finely chopped pistachios or silver balls, set in the fridge and serve with a cheeseboard or with coffee after dinner.

No-bake fudge cheesecake

Beat 2 x 250 g tubs good quality full-cream cream cheese until smooth using an electiric mixer. Fold in 1 x 385 g can condensed milk, the juice of 1/2 lemon and 2 x 165 g bars chopped Woolworths handcrafted vanilla-flavoured fudge. Pour the mixture over your favourite chocolate digestive or ginger biscuit base, smooth the top and chill overnight to set.

Fudge-topped banana loaf

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Melt 75 g butter and mix with 4 ripe mashed bananas. Add 1 beaten free-range egg, 100 g chopped walnuts, 65 g chopped fudge and 150 g sugar. Fold in 1 t bicarbonate of soda and 210 g flour to make a batter, then spoon into a greased and lined loaf tin. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out. Heat a little syrup in the microwave and brush onto the banana loaf. Sprinkle over 100–200 g finely crumbled or chopped fudge and leave to set while cooling.

Fudge rice pudding

Cook 200 g arborio rice with 4 cups milk, 110 g caster sugar and the seeds of 1 vanilla pod until the grains are tender. Crumble over a little fudge and serve hot.

3 more ways with fudge
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P.S. If you fudge this up, you can serve the caramel sauce as is with fresh figs or berries and a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Discover more sweet treat recipes here.