Potlucks are the bane of my existence.
Despite my love for them, I find potlucks rather troublesome. Do I bring sandwiches or do I choose a dish that’s more lunch-oriented? Can I just bring drinks or does that make me seem too stingy? How many servings do I bring?
Worrying about what to bring to a potluck is one problem, but let’s imagine for a moment having a potluck alongside professors, right here at UTM.
While it may seem like an unrealistic situation to several readers, this is exactly what Bansari Patel, a third-year double major in biology and environmental science, was invited to. Not only did she have to decide what to bring (which is more than enough to worry about), Patel was also asked to present her summer research project before the potluck.
Luckily for Patel, she had a recipe hidden up her sleeve to satisfy the occasion: chocolate fudge with a nutty twist.
Coincidentally, I was invited to the same potluck. I decided to settle on cookies—how on earth can you go wrong with chocolate chip cookies?
Patel recommends using a strong spatula for her particular recipe. While she was preparing her fudge, her spatula proceeded to bend at a 60-degree angle. Perhaps it was her nerves regarding her presentation and not the strength of the fudge—but just in case, let’s reach for stronger utensils for this one.
Chocolate Fudge with a Nutty Twist
SERVES 10
INGREDIENTS
- 1 packet of Maria biscuits
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 5 tbsp chocolate powder (or 4 tbsp chocolate syrup)
- almonds and cashews, a handful of each
- 1 cup of walnuts, chopped
- 1 can of condensed milk
METHOD
- Crush the Maria biscuits.
- Crush the almonds and cashews. Add them to the crushed biscuits.
- Add the walnuts.
- Add the cocoa powder and then the chocolate powder or syrup.
- Add the condensed milk.
- Stir well. (This is where that strong spatula comes in handy).
- At this point, the mixture can be transformed into a variety of shapes. It can be rolled into small balls and covered with coconut shavings or shaped into square cubes.
- Refrigerate for about 10–15 minutes.
- Serve. It can also be eaten alongside vanilla ice cream.
