Fudge

A quickie tonight: I just made my favorite fudge, and nearly made myself sick licking the beaters. I never really liked fudge until I had this fudge, because the texture/not-chocolatey-enough-ness of all the fudges I'd ever had displeased me. I'm weird with textures.

And chocolate.

I always liked the idea of fudge, and wanted to like it, but always was disappointed when I bit into a piece. A few years ago my lovely mother started making fudge (or maybe longer, I can't remember) and for some reason I think she got the recipe from a cream cheese box or something. I could be wrong. But it seems like that is where it came from.

It doesn't matter!

What matters is, my mom makes fudge that is SO GOOD and a bit cream cheesey and not at all hard or weirdly flaky. It's sort of firm, sort of gooey, sort of amazing and I'm going to share the really easy, really simple recipe with you now:

Chocolate Philadelphia Fudge

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

4 squares Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Spread into buttered 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate several hours or until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

Note: if you are melting the chocolate, do not briefly forget that the chocolate is unsweetened, and lick the spoon. You will want to rip your tongue out, or possibly stand there with your mouth open going, "EEEHHN. EEEEHHHN!!!!! BLLLLLLRGGGGH." And then possibly you will spit unsweetened chocolate into a paper towel and grab the closest diet Dr. Pepper and you will wish you were not such an idiot. Because: UNSWEETENED, even if it looks like the most luscious chocolate pudding in the world.

Now forget that mental image/mental taste, and go make some fudge that has just a teensy hint of chocolate cheesecake flavor.