Food Swap: Fudge ~ It’s another month to enjoy another swap of treats. This month we are paying homage to fudge. What makes it so great is that it’s a candy that comes in an array of flavors and can be easily shared. For this adventure, bloggers submitted their favorite fudge recipe to share. 
If you would like to host a fudge swap with friends and/or family, just ask everyone to make one 8×8 or 9×13 pan of their favorite fudge recipe. Have them bring it over to cut up in equal pieces, enough for everyone to have a piece. Have some parchment paper, plastic wrap or foil on hand along with labels so that everyone can wrap each piece of fudge and label what flavor it is. At that point, everyone can give each other a piece of their fudge. Once all fudge has been passed out, everyone should have a piece of all the flavors made! This is a great way for you to try various flavors of fudge without having to make them all yourself.
Maple Walnut Fudge
submitted by Manuela of Baking History
recipe from Alice Bradley in The Candy Cookbook
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1/2 cup (161 g) maple syrup
1/3 cup (80 g) cream
1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
Melt the butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan (preferably cast iron) , add the sugar, maple syrup, and cream, stirring on low heat until sugar is dissolved.
It is important that the sugar dissolves completely, or the final results will be grainy rather than smooth. Using a small brush dipped in water wash off any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan and to the wooden spoon you use to stir the mixture.
Once the mixture is completely smooth and blended, bring it to the boil, insert a candy thermometer and let cook, without stirring, until it reaches 238°F (114.44 C°) or soft ball stage.
Remove from the heat , and let stand undisturbed until cool (110F)—place the pan on a trivet so that air can circulate around the bottom. The candy will initially be gooey but later will set perfectly. Add walnuts and salt, and beat with a wooden spoon until candy begins to get creamy. Place in a 8×8-in (20×20 cm) square pan lined with aluminum foil well greased with butter or almond oil and press with a spatula to distribute the candy evenly. Mark in squares before the candy sets. Cut along lines and serve.
Notes: for perfect results, it is necessary to make sure that the sugar is completely melted before the mixture is boiled. Candy thermometer must be always read at eye level, or false readings will cause candy that is either under-or over-cooked, both of which will end up in disappointing results. Beating too long or not long enough after the mixture has cooled is also a potential source of problems. Practice is as usual the best teacher.
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup evaporated milk (not condensed, sweetened milk)
9 ounces white chocolate, cut into small pieces
1 stick of cold butter (4 ounces), cut into small pieces
1 ½ tablespoons lemon extract
Zest of one lemon, finely minced
A few drops yellow food coloring (I used an all-natural, turmeric-based tincture)
Have ready an 8-inch square non-stick cake pan. Coat pan with vegetable spray if not using a non-stick pan.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar with the evaporated milk, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it reaches a boil. Turn down heat slightly, but continue to stir for 6 minutes during a gentler boil. If the mixture begins to brown and stick to bottom of saucepan, turn heat down again, but continue to maintain a boil. Turn off the heat after 6 minutes, then quickly add remaining ingredients, beating constantly until the butter and white chocolate are fully melted, and the mixture becomes well blended, thick and smooth. Immediately pour into cake pan, smoothing the mixture to evenly fill the pan. Take caution when touching the pan; it will quickly become hot. Set aside for 2 hours or until pan and contents are comfortable to the touch. Place pan in freezer for 10 minutes to shrink the fudge from sides of pan for easy removal to a cutting board. Carefully cut fudge into squares with a very sharp knife. Serves 6–8.
shared at the event by Frances of Its All About Me!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Caramel Chip
shared at the event by me, Joelen!
(recipe was adapted from this one)
1/2 cup butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chocolate caramel chips (optional)
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners’ sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and stir in chips; pour into an 8×8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.
Mocha Fudge w/Hazelnuts
shared at the event by Carol
Chocolate Cheese Fudge (Paula Deen)
shared at the event by Lori 
Dark Chocolate Fudge w/Walnuts
shared at the event by Abbie 
Thank you, Joelen! I want to reach out and pinch a taste of the other great recipes in this round-up.
You have me drooling with these flavor combinations! These look great.
Wow, making my own fudge has never even crossed my mind. Thanks for sharing this!
I totally forgot to send in my recipe! But I’ll post it soon anyway.
Joelen, thank you for hosting this! All those yummy kinds of fudge look simply wonderful!!
Wow, look at all that awesome fudge. Another wonderful looking event.