Fudge has always had a piece of my heart. Well, the heart that belongs in my stomach anyway! Every holiday to Cornwall, Devon or Center Parcs I would buy fresh slabs of various flavours. It wouldn't last a long time.
Naturally becoming Dairy Intolerant and then fully Vegan made for a severe reduction in consumption of Fudge. Well actually, it put a full halt on it for a long time. I got very excited a few years ago in Waitrose when I found some Vegan Fudge in a little bag from a company called Fabulous Free From Factory. Though that was just long life sweetened Pick n Mix quality style Fudge. Then last year myself and a friend ventured to Windsor for one my hospital appointments, heading into town afterwards. She knew of the Fudge Kitchen, walking in there I thought it'd be nice to enjoy the smell of some fudge at least. That was until I found they had a Dairy Free option, or two...
This is my review on a small specialist freshly made Fudge shop, Fudge Kitchen...
Taste:
The Fudge itself is slightly different to some of the more mainstream, "regular" Fudge which is usually softer and can be a little gritty. It comes in decent size slices looking similar to a rustic loaf of bread slice. The Fudge is quite solid, tough until eaten and crumbles when broken apart. It needs cutting with a knife, though it'll most likely make a little of a mess.
The flavours are out of the box too, there is always something new to try and it is always interesting. The first time I experienced Fudge Kitchen, I tried their Salted Caramel Dairy Free Fudge. This time, I went for both flavours available for me, Icy Vanilla Coconut and Choco Classic. As you may know from previous blogs, I am not the biggest fan of Coconut so I was a little sceptical when the lady suggested it. When Fudge is available to you though, you accept it no matter what the flavour.
To my surprise, the Vanilla perfectly syncs with the Coconut and they are a match made in heaven. Pairing it with the texture of Fudge, it melts in the mouth and isn't too sweet or sickly. Perfect for a quick naughty bite. The Salted Caramel Fudge was also beautifully melt in the mouth, sharp with the Salt and incredibly sweet. The Choco Classic tastes just like a Brownie in the form and glorious texture of Fudge.
It has to be some of the best fudge I've eaten, past and present. The flavours are knock out of the park, the texture is much smoother than I've had before and you can't tell that it is dairy free, with no aftertaste. It's packed full of flavour without the compromise.
10/10
Allergies/Intolerances: The Fudge Kitchen is a totally Gluten Free environment. None of the Fudge contains Gluten, making it completely safe for those with a Gluten Intolerance or even a Coeliac.
Each day the board in the Fudge Kitchen shop is updated with flavours. Not only that, it contains all the allergens included in each flavour of Fudge and which is safe for Vegans etc.
If buying Dairy Free, they change gloves and pack separately to ensure no cross contamination. For a place specialising in Milk based products, they do very well to make it easy access for everyone!
10/10
Availability:
Fudge Kitchen has 9 Shops Country wide, so not many opportunities to pop in and stock up on the good stuff. The closest to me is just half an hour away in Windsor, but for those less lucky you can buy the fudge online.
Delivered Country wide for a small price, it'll take from 24 hours to 48 hours depending on how desperate you want your sugar fix! Brought to you by Royal Mail and with more flavours available online, it's the perfect way to get access to a wonderful freshly made take on Fudge. Slightly expensive though, so for a birthday or special occasion perhaps!
I'd love to see more of the Shops or even counters in other Shops open across the Country, I think they're 100% one of the best Fudge makers. But we shall see!
8/10