Neddy’s Kitchen

Cousin Violet’s Fudge Recipe

Long ago, before collecting recipes from the Internet became de rigueur , we homemakers often traded handwritten recipes. My cousin made the most delicious fudge and I was intrigued and asked for the recipe. I had stopped making fudge because I could only manage success about once in five tries. My usual result was a soupy concoction that could only be eaten with a spoon. Cousin Vi’s recipe changed all of that. It is simple - no boiling, and I make it in the microwave oven, which we didn’t have in those long ago days of yore.

Cousin Vi is now 78 years old and her handwriting is still as beautiful. That is because she has the genes of an artist coursing through her veins, as her father was my Uncle Ben, of whom I have written much.

Cousin Vi’s Very Easy Fudge

INGREDIENTS:

• 18 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (such as 3 bags of chocolate chips)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I toast them in the oven first.)

PREPARATION:
In a heavy saucepan over low heat melt the chips into the milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, salt and nuts, and stir until smooth. Spread evenly into a waxed paper lined 8 or 9 inch pan. Chill for 2 hours, or until firm. Turn fudge onto a cutting surface, peel away the waxed paper and cut into even squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

*MICROWAVE METHOD: Heat chips and milk on high for 3 minutes, depending on the wattage of your oven. Stir until smooth, then follow the traditional recipe.

Christmas Tree Fudge: If you would like to made some beautiful edible gifts for Christmas, try this. Follow the recipe above using “white” chocolate and substitute 1/2 cup chopped green candied cherries plus 1/2 cup chopped red candied cherries for the chopped nuts. Oil or butter large Christmas tree cookie cutters, place on waxed paper, and pour the warm fudge into them. Let sit overnight until set. Wrap each tree, including the cookie cutter in a see-through bag and tie with a bright ribbon. VOILA!

The image, My Christmas Fudge, was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter (no substitutes)
2 cups broken pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 

Stir to dissolve the baking soda in buttermilk in a heavy 4 quart saucepan.

Add the sugar, butter and corn syrup.

Place the mixture over medium-high heat and stir constantly until it starts to boil.

Stop stirring and use a wet paper towel to remove any grains of sugar that hae adhered to the sides of the pan.

Insert a candy thermometr, lower the heat and boil gently until it registers 244 degrees. 

Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the pecans and the vanilla. 

The mixture will start to thicken almost immediately, so quickly begin dropping it by teaspoons onto an oiled surface. The candy will harden as it cools.

Makes about 1 3/4 pounds of candy (40 to 50 pieces).

May be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for one month. It can be stored frozen for up to six months. 

Cook to a soft-ball stage.

Beat and add chopped nuts.