Need to make fudge

About a week ago I went to see the 

Highland Games!

Yep!

Nope - I do not live in Scotland.

Unfortunately.

Apparently we have Highland Games now here in Germany, too. 

It is held every year in September. I do find it kinda odd to have Highland Games in the middle of Saxony and meeting "Scots" that have a pretty strong saxony (?) accent ... 

But I love meeting up with my scottish friend that I know from university! She goes there every single year. (She lives in Germany now.) Apparently she goes there for the music. You kow, pipe bags and stuff. Well, to be honest - I do not go there for the music. I do not even go there for the contests. 

I go there for the fudge!!! 

Yes, fudge.

Fudge is something we do not have in Germany. And every time so far there has been a stall selling fudge at the Highland Games. And that was the reason why I wanted to go!

I also was hoping to find a stall selling scottish wool ... you know they have lots of sheep. But I had no luck. Just got some germany sheep wool ... but you will see more about that later ...

So I bought a little bag full of fudge goodies. It is rather pricy. But you can choose different ones and they are all the same price so you can mix whatever you like ... I got

Clotted cream fudge

Chocolate fudge

Vanilla and chocolate fudge

Caramel fudge

And oh my goodness ... I had totally forgotten how GOOD fudge is!

Just typing out the names makes me start salivating ...

The bag of fudge might or might not have been completely empty at the end of the day ... and most of it might or might not have been aten by me ...

So, I REALLY wanted to show you a photo of the fudgy goodness ... but, err, it was kinda gone when I remembered that I had planned to take a photo ...

So here are a few pics of my kid with some other kids playing at the Highland Games with ....

STRAW!

YEP. Apperently THAT is the fun you can have when going to a big festival.

I know those photos are not fudge ... but I thought maybe they DO make you smile a little ...

Anyway, afterwards (meaning after all the fudge was aten by SOMEONE) I remembered that when I lived in the US my host dad would make fudge for Christmas. I do not know whether it was the same kind of fudge. But I figured there must be another way than waiting a whole year to go to the Highland Games and buy it there. 

I figured I have to try making it myself. It can not be THAT hard, can it?

Well, back home I have researched some recipes. And it seems it is not THAT easy either. Most recipes state you need a candy thermometer. This has been on the "I want that" list already for a while. But I still have not got one! So ... those recipes are out. For now. I found this one which I will definitely try. But I was wondering ... do you guys know any fudge recipes that are easy enough to do without a candy thermometer?

Have any of you any experience making fudge (with or without candy thermometer)?

Any tried and true recipes?

Suggestions?

Tips?

Anything?