CAROLINE Pearse has made the the leap from classroom to kitchen all in the name of fudge.

She decided to leave the ‘school room’ to take on ‘the heat of the kitchen’ and they say if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

But for Caroline the heat is where her heart now lies and she loves her new challenge.

Caroline’s fudge which is made in Somerset is a hand made treat as it is crafted by her as she now runs Exmoor Fudge Kitchen.

This is the fourth year, Caroline has been in business, as she left being a teaching assistant at Kingsmead School in Wiveliscombe where she had been for 14 years, to do something new.

Before she had made fudge to give as Christmas presents for family and friends as well as including it in Christmas hampers which she gave to her four children.

The fudge proved very popular so she thought this could be her new career.

Initially Caroline did think of doing jams and chutney’s but fudge ended up being the product of choice.

She now makes 30 different types of soft, smooth fudge which include:

n Dark chocolate fudge

n Milk chocolate

n White chocolate

n Rose & Raspberry

n Rum & Raisin

n Sticky Toffee Pudding

n Orange

n Mint

n Blackcurrant

n Ginger

n Irish Cream

n Tangerine

n Lebkuchen

n Coconut

n Salted Caramel

n Vanilla

n Eaton Mess

n Honeycomb

n Apple & Cinnamon Crumble

n Christmas Cake

n Lemon Meringue

n Wicked Wolf & Blueberries

n Peanut

n Honey

n Cranberry

n Blackberry & Apple Meringue

n Apricot & Almond

n Nougat

n Mulled Wine

All the fudge Caroline makes is done so using only natural ingredients.

There are no preservatives and each batch is made to order.

Caroline uses as much local products as she can in making her fudge like locally sourced honey and apples from her garden.

The heart of Exmoor Fudge Kitchen is literally in Caroline’s kitchen at her home in Huish Champflower near Taunton.

Speaking about her new fudge making career, Caroline said: “I left teaching as I wanted a new challenge.

“I wanted something I could be in control of and I knew making the change meant there would be no half way house.

“I am my own boss and my destiny is in my own hands.

“What is good about doing this business is I am not tied to time. I know I have to make my fudge and then I go to the different events.

“I loved my job (teaching assistant) but this is what I enjoy doing now and I love it.

“I am running my own business which is something I never thought I would do. I never thought I would be up to it but I am.

“Working in education like I did gave me confidence to deal with different people and meeting them at the markets I attend is one of the best aspects of the job.

“It is lovely being able to speak to them about the process of making the fudge and telling them all about it.

“I enjoy making the fudge and I enjoy it when people come to my stall telling me they bought the fudge before and really enjoyed it.

“I tell people how it is made and what goes into the fudge and they enjoy hearing all about it.

“When I started I would make anything and everything but that didn’t work.

“Now I make what I think will sell at each event.”

Among the events which Caroline attends and where she sells her homemade fudge is once monthly Dulverton Farmers Market, held the last Saturday of the month April through to September.

Caroline was brought up in what she described as a typical village life. She used to live in Carhampton.

It was while growing up there she learnt how to cook with her mother making jams and other items like cakes.

When she decided to set Exmoor Fudge Kitchen she set everything up, filled in all the necessary paperwork and got her five star certificate for hygiene from the environmental officer before she started.

So when she got the god ahead, the business was ready to go from day one.

Looking ahead, Caroline said: “In the next four years I would like to see the website grow.

“I would like to continue making quality products which can be enjoyed by people.

“If any of the fudge I make does not meet my standards then it is thrown away.

“I will not be opening a shop as I like to keep my kitchen at home where I make the fudge.

“I would feel if I opened a shop I would be tied down which is not what I want as I enjoy going out and about meeting people.

“I like the flexibility this style of working gives me.”

To read more about Exmoor Fudge Kitchen or to order fudge ypu can go online at ExmoorFudgeKitchen.com