Believe it or not, my plans for the next Christmas usually begin on December 26th, with a mental check list of what I want to keep, remove, or add.  Around July I audit that mental list and imagine what my gift giving packaging will look like. By that time, I’m also dying to hear at least one Christmas song…Ella Fitzgerald singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas or The Drifters singing White Christmas.  Then there’s the week after Thanksgiving…decorating the house & addressing Christmas cards. Next, is the week that I look forward to most of all…Gifts From My Kitchen!

With all the planning, I never anticipate disasters (yes, plural).  So many disasters that I had to scrap everything and begin again.  My first batch of creamy lime fudge would never set up properly.  The thumbprint cookies, spread out like lace cookies(I promise, I did chill the dough properly).  Proudly, my gingerbread cookies were so delightful that they were all promptly eaten(disaster, because there are none to give!). Lastly, there was the matter of a Modge Podge project.  There are not enough adjectives to describe this disaster…Just take a look:

This was supposed to be a photo with a recipe imposed over it and mounted to canvas…glad it was just a sample!

Anyway, I was able to resolve the issue with the fudge.  It’s rich, creamy and full of lime tastiness!  I also added a layer of almond cookie crust within the fudge to make it more like pie. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t suffer the same fate as the gingerbread…eaten before it’s packaged and mailed.

A lined & buttered dish, cookie & almond crumbs, butter, condensed milk, white chips, and lime juice…almost there!

Make your crumble crust…

Layer the crumble crust between layers of creamy lime fudge…once it sets, you’re ready to cut!

Creamy Lime Fudge
Makes about 36 pieces
(Adapted from BHG.com)

6 whole graham crackers
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 can condensed milk
3 cups white chocolate chips
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh or good quality~not from concentrate
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest

Line bottom and sides of a 8×8 square dish with aluminum foil and coat with butter.  Place graham crackers together in a closeable bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.   Place crumbs in a bowl and mix in sugar.  Add melted butter, stirring until crumbly.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat condensed milk and white chocolate chips on low heat, stirring constantly until chips have completely melted.  Remove from heat and add lime juice and zest.  Pour half in the lined buttered dish, spreading to edges.  Crumble cookie crust mixture evenly over white chocolate layer, and top with remaining white chocolate mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cut, remove from refrigerator and lift fudge from dish using the lining.  Peel lining away from fudge.  Place fudge, top side down(the top will be dry to touch but bottom will be tacky), allowing top to dry for about an hour before cutting.  Once dry, cut into 6 strips one way and then across in six cuts.