Mrs. Weasley's Christmas Fudge (vegan)

December 26, 2021

reading time: 4 min

»I think I know who that one's from,« said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. »My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and – oh, no,« he groaned, »she's made you a Weasley sweater.«
Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.
»Every year she makes us a sweater,« said Ron, unwrapping his own, »and mine’s always maroon.«
»That’s really nice of her,« said Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J. K. Rowling

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

I am aware that British fudge is usually a softer and very caramel-y dessert, however to celebrate the Christmas season, I thought it was more fitting to make a chocolate-flavoured version – that also makes an excellent edible holiday gift for any sweet tooth in your family, friend group or neighbourhood! This year I actually made a big batch of different kinds of vegan Christmas cookies and dropped by my friends' house to surprise them with an edible gift since don't see each other on Christmas.

By the way, who is watching the entire Harry Potter movie series this Christmas season? I usually alternate between watching the Lord of the Rings movies, the Hobbit movies, the Star Wars movies, and Harry Potter – and this year it's Harry Potter 😁 Next up is Order of the Phoenix. (As I am typing this, I am actually listening to the Harry Potter Music & Ambience | Hogsmead which is lovely!)

Anyway.

I think there is something very "Christmas" about the mismatched and colourful, cosy and caring energy of the Weasley family. One of my favourite festive scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the one where Harry wakes up on Christmas morning and finds the Gryffindor common room filled with a cosy crackling fireplace, squashy crimson armchairs, a Christmas tree, and Ron waiting for him in his maroon sweater with the initial "R" that his mum knitted for him. Together, they open their Christmas presents – it's the first time that Harry gets any presents at all, and among other things he receives a box of homemade fudge from Mrs. Weasley.

Ron is ready to stuff his face with fudge and play a game of Wizard's Chess.

This recipe was inspired by Harry Potter: Mrs. Weasley's Fudge from Feast of Starlight who make the most beautiful fictional recipes! However, their recipes aren't vegan, and so I based my recipe on the vegan chocolate fudge from Loving It Vegan.

This was actually my first time making fudge, and vegan fudge at that, so don't come at me if this doesn't taste like your grandma's fudge, alright? It tastes like Mrs. Weasley's fudge :)

Mrs. Weasley is proud of me. (source)

And yes, I couldn't resist making / improvising my own Weasley jumper by crafting the letter M out of green felt and securing it on my most Weasley-esque sweater using safety pins, lol.

Mrs. Weasley's VEGAN Christmas Fudge

adapted from Loving It Vegan

Preparation time: 1 hour (+ 4 hours cooling time)
Main ingredients: coconut milk, sugar, chocolate
difficulty level: easy-moderate
makes: 20 to 30 (one 8x8 inch pan)
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, yeast-free

Ingredients

for the fudge:
1 1/2 cups condensed coconut milk (see below)
1/2 cup vegan butter or margarine
1/2 cup plant-based milk
1/2 cup vegan dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw cane sugar or brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup or golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla essence
generous pinch of salt

(optional) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or gingerbread spice blend

for the condensed coconut milk: (recipe from Pick Up Limes)
1 1/2 cups canned full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup raw cane sugar or brown sugar

Instructions

To make the condensed coconut milk:

Add coconut milk and sugar to a small saucepan, and bring to a gentle boil while continuously stirring. Turn down the heat to low, and allow to gently simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the condensed coconut milk to a clean jar to fully cool off. Set aside until needed.

To make the fudge:

Line an 8x8 pan with baking paper.

In a medium saucepan, combine condensed coconut milk, plant-based milk, butter and chocolate. Heat up over low heat, stirring continuously. Keep cooking until chocolate and butter are mostly melted, and small bubbles start to appear at the surface. Add sugar, maple syrup, vanilla essence and salt, as well as optional spices like cinnamon or gingerbread spice. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Over medium-low heat, allow the mixture to simmer while stirring occasionally until it reaches "soft ball stage". You can determine this stage either by using a sugar thermometer which will tell you when you've reached the right temperature (about 235 °F / 112 °C). Alternatively – the way I did it – you can test whether or not your fudge mixture is at the right stage by dropping a small portion of the mixture into a cup of cold water. If it sticks together into a nice clump and can be rolled into a very soft squashable ball, you know the mixture is ready.

It might take a while until you get to this stage, so be patient here.

Pour the fudge mixture into the pan. Use a spatula to scrape the saucepan and to spread the fudge out evenly. If desired, sprinkle with chopped nuts or sugar sprinkles.

Place the pan in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 3–4 hours or overnight. I recommend also chilling it in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.

Once set, remove the solidified fudge from the pan by lifting up on the overhanging baking paper, and place it on a cutting board.

Use a sharp knife to cut the fudge into squares, and enjoy.

Store in the fridge or freezer.

If you are giving it as a gift, it's a good idea to place the fudge squares in a parchment paper-lined gift box, or use cupcake wrappers for individual pieces.