Fluffernutter Fudge

 I have been a vegetarian for many, many years.  But I grew up in a meat and potatoes household.  More specifically, I grew up in a fried bologna and Cheez Whiz household.  I ate so much processed food as a child, it's really a miracle I survived:  Fruit Loops, Spaghetti-o's, Velveeta, Miracle Whip, pimento loaf ... you get the idea.

In that mass of junk food, one treat stood out from the crowd.  Marshmallows.  I have always loved the simple sweetness of marshmallows.  I have vivid memories of being about four years old, getting up way before my parents, turning on the TV (the Bozo Show, Romper Room, Zoom), and slowly kneading marshmallows into a single uber-mallow ... then devouring it with glee.

My mom would even occasionally make me a fluffernutter sandwich.  Peanut butter and marshmallow creme on white bread.  It barely even pretends to be real food.  But it is oh-so-delicious and satisfied my voracious sweet tooth.

Now, of course, I try to be a little more discerning in my food choices, but those childhood flavors call to me.  I especially miss marshmallows.  They're made with gelatin, so they're decidedly un-vegetarian.  There are vegan versions, but they're really expensive (and I'm really cheap).  I can, however, still indulge in marshmallow creme.

I was thus intrigued when one of the vegan (VEGAN!) groups I haunt on Facebook posted a recipe for "rocky road fudge."

Fudge is a challenge for vegans because vegans don't do dairy.  This particular recipe created that fudgy consistency by combining melted chocolate with peanut butter.

Hmmm.  Go on ....

The recipe called for crunchy peanut butter, and for pouring the mixture over vegan marshmallows.  Thus, the "rocky road."

I had to try it.  Had to.

As I noted above, however, I do not usually spring for vegan marshmallows, so I decided to return to my old friend, the conveniently vegetarian marshmallow creme.  And to shift the overall feeling from rocky road to fluffernutter, I decided to use creamy peanut butter rather than crunchy.  (Besides, hard stuff in fudge seems to defeat the entire point of fudge for me ... that creamy, melt in your mouth, no-chewing-required quality.)  Oh, and in honor my my sweet girl's 14th birthday, I decided to use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out servings of the finished product.

Happy 14th Birthday, Iphigenia Watson!

So here, friends, is my version of the Vegan Freak rocky road fudge: Vegan Fluffernutter Fudge.  I'll confess it's not as life-changing as I would have hoped, but it tastes a lot like a Reese's peanut butter cup, and since it's so insanely easy, it's worth a try.  If you aren't opposed to actual marshmallows, I would recommend trying that ... and let me know how it goes.

Fluffernutter Fudge

2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. marshmallow fluff

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or wax paper.  In the top of a double boiler (or a bowl nestled in a saucepan with a little water in it), melt the chocolate chips, stirring until they are silky.  Stir in the peanut butter until well-combined.  Add the fluff and stir gently until the fluff has become soft and the mixture is marbled.  Pour into the pan.  Allow the pan to cool in the fridge for 2 hours or so, until set.

Use the parchment to lift the fudge from the pan.  Cut into squares (or adorable heart shapes) and enjoy!

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Wendy is the author of the Mysteries a la Mode. Visit her on the web or on Facebook. She also writes the Pet Boutique Mysteries under the name Annie Knox; you can follow Annie on Facebook, too!