OPINION | FRONT BURNER: Fudge recipe that can survive a little fudging

The great thing about fudge — aside from all that chocolate, sugar and butter — is that when you fudge it up, it still turns out pretty great.

Making traditional fudge — also known as Baltimore fudge — is no easy feat.

The sought-after smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture of traditional fudge is the result of precise timing and physical effort. The sugar mixture is heated to 237 to 240 degrees and then cooled to 110 before beating to create the proper texture and consistency. That smooth, creamy melt-in-your-mouth fudge texture is achieved with small sugar crystals. If the mixture is stirred too soon — when it is warmer than 110 degrees — the crystals will be large and make the fudge grainy.