BOOK BITES: Five-Alarm Fudge

It’s December, so it it is safe to say that we have entered the holiday season. During this time of year, I often find myself in picturesque Door County, Wisconsin, as that is where my husband’s family lives. For this reason, I am thrilled welcome Christine DeSmet today Not Even Joking. DeSmet is the author of the The Fudge Shop Mystery Series, which is set in a fictional town on Lake Michigan in Door County. Her latest book, FIVE-ALARM FUDGE (Penguin Random House/NAL/Obsidian, April 2015) sounds intriguing on so many levels. As does the today’s recipe: Cinderella Pink Fairy Tale Fudge.

Who is your main character? Tell me about her.

Ava Oosterling, 32, has recently returned to Door County, Wisconsin, after eight years away on the West Coast. With her Grandpa Gil, affectionately called Gilpa, she runs Oosterlings’ Live Bait, Bobbers, Belgian Fudge & Beer in fictional Fishers’ Harbor on the bay of Lake Michigan.

What would Ava Oosterling choose for her last meal?

Ava would choose booyah, which is a red Belgian stew made by family and neighbors over an outdoor fire at fall harvest festivals. Booyah typically contains chicken, and just about every vegetable from your garden that you have available. But it must be red to be authentic, most Belgians contend, so add tomatoes to the mix. Ava loves her family and friends and the culture of Door County, and that’s why she’d request that.

How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?

I hope I could have endless courses, of course! I would choose all manner of seafood and fish for my last meal, such as Wisconsin trout, perch, and Lake Michigan salmon.

Why should someone bite into FIVE-ALARM FUDGE?

FIVE-ALARM FUDGE is contemporary but it gives readers unusual tidbits about U.S. Belgian immigration history and the Great Fires that happened in 1871 on the same day in both Chicago and in the setting of my story in the Door County region. Over 2,000 people lost their lives in October of that year. This history is integral to solving the murder mystery. During those fires, some miracles also occurred, and my mystery recounts those miracles and also presents a miracle or two.

Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?

Ava’s signature fudge is the Cinderella Pink Fairy Tale Fudge, which is made with Door County cherries. This original recipe is simple to make, and it’s a cheery pink and red, perfect for the holiday season.

Cinderella Pink Fairy Tale Fudge. Photo courtesy of Christine DeSmet.

Cinderella Pink Fairy Tale Fudge (with Diamonds) Recipe

This easy, microwave recipe for a cherry-vanilla fudge is a favorite with my friends and coworkers. They like the “diamonds” they find in the fudge. (Leave out the diamonds if you don’t like the crunchy texture.)

Before you cook:  Prepare an 8×8-inch pan by lining it with wax paper so that the wax paper comes over the edges. Spray the paper lightly with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

•  3 cups white chocolate chips
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried cherries (or can used canned whole tart cherries, chopped)
• Red food coloring 
• ½ cup edible white or clear glitter (large size) for “diamonds”
• Pink or white luster dust (optional)

 Mix the chips and milk together and melt at medium power in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Stir and return to the microwave until fully melted. Stir in the vanilla and four or five (or more) drops of red food coloring to turn it pink. Just before pouring it into the pan, blend in ¼ cup of the glitter if you want diamonds inside the fudge. Then pour it into the pan. Sprinkle the top of the fudge with the rest of the “diamond” glitter.

Optional:  Before you sprinkle on the diamond glitter, first brush on luster dust, which is a very fine glittery edible powder you can buy in various colors. It’s best to apply luster dust with a small artist’s brush so that you don’t waste it; don’t try to shake it directly from its container onto your fudge or use your fingers. Sprinkle the rest of the “diamond” glitter on top of the luster dust.

Let your fudge sit for a few hours or overnight. When ready to cut, transfer it from its pan to a cutting board. Use a knife with a smooth blade or a fudge cutter. Cut into one-inch squares or any size you prefer.

I have to say, I never knew that fudge could be pink. Yum! And I can’t wait to read FIVE-ALARM FUDGE. It sounds like the perfect book for my next trip to Door County.

You can find out more about Christine DeSmet on her website www.ChristineDeSmet.com. and you can find FIVE-ALARM FUDGE on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound or at a bookstore near you.