Sweet Swede's lingonberry fudge finishes strong

When Sonia Palmer opened up The Sweet Swede Candy Shoppe, she wanted to sell lingonberry fudge. She searched across the U.S., but couldn't find it anywhere. It's a good thing she didn't stop there.

Courtesy of The Sweet Swede Candy Shoppe. Sweet Swede's lingonberry fudge is made with crushed lingonberries and semi-sweet chocolate fudge.

Palmer hired an importer to bring lingonberries from Scandinavia. She then brought them to her confectioner to develop a recipe. The confectioner mashed up the lingonberries into semi-sweet chocolate fudge. Because fresh lingonberries are so tart, Palmer says there was a lot of experimentation to get the final recipe just right. The result, she says, is that people are "mostly tasting a nice, smooth chocolate up front with a berry finish."

In my own tasting of Sweet Swede's lingonberry fudge, I have to concur with Palmer. The fudge was rich and chocolate-y with a delightful, surprising kick at the end. Palmer has found that the lingonberry fudge is particularly popular with wine drinkers because it goes well with red wine.

Courtesy of The Sweet Swede Candy Shoppe. These gingerbread candies are made in Sockerbageriet, a 100-year-old Swedish candy factory.

What I like about the Sweet Swede is that like the lingonberry fudge, their other products are not gimmicks, but items that were sought out with care. For instance, another popular item is Swedish gingerbread candy. These are caramels that taste like gingerbread and are made in a 100-year-old candy factory in Helsinborg, Sweden. Palmer says their texture differs from most caramels; they don't soften up until they've been in your mouth a little while.

Courtesy of The Sweet Swede Candy Shoppe. Chocolate berries include chocolate blueberries, cherries, cranberries, and dark chocolate raspberries.

Fruits and chocolate is a common combination for Swedish desserts, so the Sweet Swede also sells a variety of fruit and chocolate related products, like chocolate covered blueberries and raspberries. While the candy shop is based out of Lindstrom, MN, products are available through online purchase.