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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 laughed so hard that I cried for this post!Thanks!To me ,the dentist also equals hell!Love lemon though,will definitely try this!
So here I sit looking up cookies and goodies to bake. I want to eat them all, but cannot…you see, I had a root canal and a crown placed years ago…and the tooth ended up rotting…followed by pulling the tooth, and needing a bone graft in my jaw….which of course…wait for it….the graft is rejecting and is infected…oh what thrills…12 days of constant jaw and mouth pain. The stitches are driving me nuts….I would just pull all my teeth and end this life long misery of my many problems with braces, empty socket, a dentist breaking my jaw and an abscess from a root canal that made my whole face swell during my fathers funeral…but they would most likely become infected too. so, guess I am saying…”I GET IT”…but fudge is one thing I might be able to eat…LOL Thanks for sharing
Yummo on the awesome fudge recipe, but you poor thing – how horrible. It’s amazing you’re willing to go back to a dentist after all you’ve been through. Next time, check Angie’s List. 🙂
Right? I got lucky with this one I have now *crosses fingers*. Thanks Patricia!
Hi We do not have marshmallow fluff in South-Africa, so I was just wondering what is it and is there a alternative?
Thank you
You can make the fudge and add some marshmallows to the top while it’s warm so they stick. Or you can make your own fluff: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/homemade-marshmallow-creme 🙂
I had really high hopes for this recipe, but was a little disappointed. While I am not an expert cook, I am a fairly accomplished baker, and I just struggled with this recipe. I could not get the chocolate chips to melt down completely, even after quite a bit of time over med-low heat and constant stirring. Also, despite the low temp and constant stirring, I was still ending up with bits of brown overcooked milk/chocolate in the mix. The fluff and chocolate mixed up just exactly as the recipe stated, needing an extra 15 seconds which did indeed help, but it did not spread at all on top of the fudge. It was just too thick and ended up sinking into the fudge mixture and the amount of swirling I needed to do to semi-incorporate it just ended up mixing it all together too much. I have yet to taste it, but I’m sure it will taste great–just simply the aesthetics did not pan out. I think I will try again and maybe melt down the chocolate in a double-boiler first, then adding the milk and heat through to ensure the chips are completely melted? Also, will microwaving the fluff mixture for more than 15 sec make it even easier to spread, eliminating the “clumps” that don’t want to spread/swirl? Any thoughts? All in all, an intriguing recipe and definitely worth a second chance!
I know that sometimes I have trouble with white chocolate chips. If they happen to be older, or if they’ve gotten at all melted at some point and then hardened again, they just don’t want to melt. I have never had that problem with fudge (yet!) but I know that sometimes adding a little oil or crisco can help smooth it out. Sometimes it just can’t be saved which is just so annoying! I’m sorry that happened to you for this recipe. As for the fluff, it is somewhat clumpy. I dropped it in blobs on top to swirl it when I first made this fudge. I have just re-made it recently, but haven’t had a chance to update the recipe yet. What I did was pour about 2/3 of the fudge into the pan, then I added the fluff to the remaining fudge in the pan and swirled it, then poured it on top. It still gave that meringue look, but made it easier to spread. I’ll update that today. 🙂
I think you hit the nail on the head–my chocolate chips were older and that’s probably what the problem was. Also, I think that’s a great idea with the fluff–I’ve since tried the first batch of fudge, and despite the minor issues, it was DELICIOUS! So I’m having a second go at it–with fresh chocolate chips–and will implement the suggestions and see how it goes. Regardless, I know it’s going to be yummy! Thanks!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I added some lemon zest to the fudge, and then a sprinkling of the zest on top of the meringue part and it was SO wonderful! 🙂
Delish Tina!!! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
How long will this keep? You know, if I dont eat it all first 🙂
I would say a few days on the counter, a little longer in the fridge. I’ve frozen fudge with success too (not this one, but others). 🙂
Does this fudge freeze well? I know you said ” I’ve frozen fudge with success too (not this one, but others).” Does that mean that you’ve frozen this fudge and it didn’t work out, or that you haven’t tried to freeze this one?
I’ve never frozen this one, but I have frozen others with success! 🙂
I used about 2 teaspoons of real granulated lemon powder (brand name True Lemon) and it turned out oh so lemony!
That’s a great idea Lisa! I’ve never seen that powder, I’ll have to look!
They also have it in lime; wonderful with shrimp or other seafood. I have had a container of each for several years now and I check often but haven’t seen or smelt any spoilage, probably due to the high citric acid content. I sprinkle it on so many dishes, and use it in place of fresh lemon or lime wedges when out of season or too pricey. It’s usually found in the spice aisle where the salt, pepper, coating mixes, dried minced onions, etc. are shelved. It’s so handy to use that I consider both flavors to be on my list of kitchen essentials to always have on hand. Love your recipes, but I have to tell you that I’d come here just for the giggles and smiles!😊❤
How long does this take to set? Just made it an hour ago and it’s very runny yet!
I usually chill fudge in the refrigerator to set for several hours! It takes a long time for the chocolate to harden back up.
Just wondering if I can use something instead of chocolate as im allergic. Tyia
Hmmm…I’ve never made fudge without the chocolate. You may have to find a cooked fudge recipe (one that uses sugar and butter instead). I’m sorry!
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