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When I was two, I fell on my face and killed my front tooth. It required a root canal (which is my first memory) and I then lived with a green front tooth until, oh, I think first grade.
I had braces twice, the second time having to have four adult teeth pulled.
When I had my wisdom teeth pulled they were impacted, which caused me to lose 9 lbs in 3 days and if I remember correctly, I got an infection.
After Jordan was born I went to a new dentist who got his dental license from the Donald Duck school of dentistry. He was a quack if I ever saw one. But me, being in the throes of postpartum and needing my teeth cleaned in the 45 minutes until I needed to nurse, I ignored my instincts. This man’s “special beeping machine” told me I needed 5 cavities filled. I also needed a crown for a chipped tooth, which ended in a root canal that some cartoon character taught him to do. Shortly after this debacle, I went to the endodontist 3 times to re-do the just done root canal, and I have pain in that tooth to this day.
You could say I have dentist issues. I go…but it’s a stressful week before and a gut-wrenching 45 minutes of expecting them to tell me I have cavities, need teeth pulled, root canals, or Bugs Bunny and Tweety are going to show up in a lab coat and perform my exam.
So when my husband told me he was going back to the dentist to have an edge of his tooth fixed (it’s sharp) and told me he was only slightly nervous because they weren’t using novocain, I looked at him like he had two heads.
“Tell them to use the novocain,” I said.
“Well, no,” he replied. “It doesn’t need it. I had the guy check it when I was there to see if it would hurt and it didn’t. I want to avoid the extra 30 minutes it would take to get the shot.”
I’m sorry to my dear husband, but that last sentence was in a foreign language to me. He had the guy test it? What does that even mean?
I swear, if they offered the gas for a cleaning I would take it.
I don’t get this whole “let’s see if it hurts” mentality. NO DUDE. I don’t want it to hurt AT ALL. Give me drugs, and give them to me NOW.
So yeah, sometimes my husband and his manly bravado befuddles me.
What doesn’t befuddle me? Fudge with crust. I’ve done it before. I don’t know where this came to me, except that I had some lemon shortbread left over from the same shipment that brought me this addiction. When you have lemon shortbread, you must make crust.
The rest just followed, organically, I guess.
The topping was supposed to be an even layer on the top, like meringue on a pie. It didn’t work that way, so I swirled it and, you know what? I think I liked that better.
{I think fudge with crust is my new addiction. I loooooooooove it.}
Now, I know if eat too much of this I’ll have to go to hell the dentist. But that’s why I brush my teeth three times a day and ignore the chipped off crown that the dentist said was fine for a few months a year ago.
Fudge is waaaaaay better than a teeth cleaning. Plus, it’s soft. You can gum it before the novocain wears off.
Lemon Meringue Pie Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs shortbread, lemon shortbread, or lemon cookies - I used 1 package of lemon shortbread cookies
- 3 tablespoons butter melted (see notes)
- 4 cups about 2 bags white chocolate chips, divided
- 1 can 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- Optional: for more punch of lemon add about 1/2-1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2-3 drops yellow food coloring if desired
- 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
Instructions
- Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan that has been coved with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cool while you prepare filling.
- Place one cup of white chocolate chips in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place remaining 3 cups of white chocolate chips in a medium saucepan. Add the sweetened condensed milk and heat over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted.
- While you are cooking the chips and SCM in the pan, place the bowl of chips in the microwave and heat, on 50% power, for about 1-2 minutes, stirring each 30 seconds.
- Once the chips and SCM in the pan have melted, remove from heat and stir in lemon extract, zest (if using), and food coloring. Pour over crust.
- Working quickly, stir fluff into the white chocolate chips you melted in the microwave. The chocolate will seize a little, but that’s okay. If needed, microwave an additional 15 seconds to help the mixture stir together. Drop chunks of the fluff mixture on top of the lemon fudge and use a knife or offset spatula to swirl into the top. Cool on counter for about 10-15 minutes and then chill until set. Slice and serve.
Recipe Nutrition
Click here to see the complete list of Lemon Recipes!
Like Fudge? Check out these other great treats:
Chocolate Fudge with Nutter Butter Crust
Red Velvet Fudge with a Pecan Sandy Crust by Something Swanky
Cinnabon Fudge by Shugary Sweets
Last Updated on May 12, 2020
I made this today and I had to tell you how it went. Everything went fine until the topping. We got a new microwave and 50% power is something we very rarely use so when I had to, and pressed what was supposed to be 50% all it did was beep. If I had known it wouldn’t do that and who would know when it’s in a box in the store and you very rarely use that setting, I would have returned it. The time keeps going from military/overseas time to American time on the clock, no matter how often I set it to American. I melted the chocolate and stirred in the Fluff. It seized up like you said it might so I stuck it in the microwave. Without the 50% power I had to guess and it totally didn’t get soft enough. Even with that, and it doesn’t look as pretty as yours does, mom says it’s very creamy, not to sweet, the crust is great and she loves it! Yeah! I’ll have to figure out another way to un-seize the chocolate and Fluff. Thanks for a great recipe!
Do you think the fudge with the crust would survive a cross country mailing? I might leave off the crust. But if I use the shortbread as you suggested- that might help it?
Your dentist story gives me chills. I almost dealt with not so much as a quack, but an older gentleman stuck in what I would assume is the 70’s dentistry. So he knew his stuff, but was soooooooo outdated I didn’t go back. Plus the rude receptionist kept telling me how horrible my insurance was and there were others that would be better. Thanks Lady! Luckily I found a good combo- older guy with a modern office and embrace technology, even laughed at my “I’ll bring my own rubber mallet” joke. *sigh* Reminds me I need to schedule my wisdom tooth extraction… but at least I have this fudge as a reward. (whimper) (sigh)
Yes it totally would survive! And ugh about the dentist – I still have nightmares!
This fudge is so amazingly delicious!! So is your pecan pie fudge. Â I’ve made both and am wondering, do you have to refrigerate them or can they be stored at room temperature? Â I wasnt sure with having the condensed milk in this one and the evaporated milk in the pecan pie one if that would make it so they need to be refrigerated. Â Thanks!
I usually chill the pecan pie one just because it gets soft if it’s out too long!
Marshmallow fluff=marshmallow creme/cream in most places. If you want extra lemon flavor without adding liquid, try True Lemon crystallized lemon. It is put out by True Citrus Co. http://www.truecitrus.com  They also have lime and orange in crystal/powder form 😉
Hello
I was wondering if this fudge can be made then frozen?
Yes!
Thanks Dorothy,I’ve just subscribed to your website 🙂
This looks so yummy! We don’t have marshmallow fluff here in NZ either,but might try it with marshmallows,they’d melt in the hot mixture wouldn’t they? Thanks 🙂
Yes they’ll work! Enjoy!
Oh yeah, your dentist story sounds like mine! It brought back memories and not good ones. Let’s just say I’m glad it’s all over and I hope I never have to go to him again. I just also found out my oral surgeon is still in business! I went to him in the 70’s. I almost wish we had sued him.
Anyway, my mom loves fudge and she loves lemon so I will be making this. She will take it to work and give some to her boss whose wife died last year and then she will take it knitting and share it with the other ladies who go as everyone brings something to eat and share while they knit and chat. I hope you don’t have anymore dentist horror stories to tell us.
My son made these for our county youth fair. (He was 10 and had to leave off the crust for the fudge category. He also had to use lemon oil as extract has alcohol). He won grand champion in his age group and a special candy award from Kilwins out of all the winners! My coworkers even paid him to make them some. Truly delicious fudge. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Two of my favorite things combined! Looks amazing!
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