At Arusha Coffee Lodge, every day guests are invited to trace the journey of coffee from ripe red cherry beans to roasted perfection on the signature Bean-to-Cup Coffee Tour. But the love affair with coffee doesn't end at the cup. It is smoked into beef dishes, folded into desserts, and swirled into the famous Pharisee's Special Coffee — an innocent-looking cup with something warming hidden inside. It even appears as a thoughtful pillow-drop treat to send guests to sleep dreaming of aromatic mornings.
Beyond the kitchen, coffee permeates the entire lodge experience, whether as an ingredient in spa scrubs and rituals, or in aromatic candles and property scents or as a sustainable touch used creatively in place of soil. Nothing goes to waste. Every ground, every bean, every aroma carries intention.
This month, we share one of the plantation's most beloved delights, the Signature Coffee Fudge. The perfect safari bag companion, a sundowner treat, or a quiet indulgence when the wild calls for something sweet.
Espresso Fudge Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g soft brown sugar
- 395 g sweetened condensed milk
- 150 g whole milk
- 115 g butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- Coffee beans for garnish
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 square pan (20x20cm) with parchment paper. Leave an overhang on the sides of the pan to make it easier to lift the fudge out once set.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, milk, butter, espresso, and salt.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Keep it in a bubble while stirring, so it doesn't burn until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage at 115 °C / 240 °F.
- Testing without a sugar thermometer: Drop a small amount of the hot fudge mixture into a glass of ice-cold water. If it immediately forms a soft fudge ball, it's ready. The fudge must be cooked to this stage, or it won't set.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then beat it with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer until it loses its shine and becomes matte.
- Pour it into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and press on coffee beans. Let it cool to room temperature and set, around 3-4 hours.
