Best Christmas Fudge Ever

The best Christmas Fudge I ever had was one that my Dad made every year at Christmas. It wasn't the smooth and creamy fudge that you find in fudge shops. This fudge is slightly grainy, chocolaty and very sweet! One piece of Dad's Christmas Fudge is all you need to satisfy the most voracious sweet tooth. Your family will love this fudge. This recipe used to appear on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa container - but no longer. My family is grateful that Dad wrote it down in his book of favorite recipes before he died.

This Christmas Fudge recipe is very old fashioned and appears in various iterations online - but Dad's specific instructions made this advanced candy recipe easier for the novice to follow.

Read this recipe thoroughly, decide your Christmas Fudge strategy - especially for checking the cooking temperature - and gather all your ingredients and utensils before you start. It takes time and attention. You will need to block out plenty of time - at least two hours - for the mixing, cooking, cooling and finishing processes.

Kids love to help with this one - there's lots of bonding time on cold winter days and licking the pan is a special treat!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened, powdered cocoa

• 3 cups granulated sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, not 2% or skim

• 1/4 cup real butter - not margarine - for the recipe plus extra to butter the cooling pan

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup walnut or pecan halves - optional

• 1cup crushed candy canes - optional

Utensils:

• 4-quart heavy saucepan - this gives the fudge plenty of room to boil to reach the correct temperature.

• Heat resistant, hard rubber spatula or wooden spoon, not metal - Dad always used a wooden spoon, so do I.

• 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish, generously buttered on the bottom and sides. I use glass as the fudge slips out easily when cooled

• Candy thermometer that will clip to the edge of your saucepan - be sure you have a candy thermometer - not a meat thermometer. OR an alternative method to check temperature is done using a glass of very cold water. (see the directions below)

Directions:

Combine the Hershey's Cocoa, sugar and salt in the 4-quart saucepan and mix well. Slowly add the milk, stirring the mixture constantly until it's smooth. This step is done before putting the mixture on the stove. It's important that the Hershey's Cocoa, sugar, salt and milk are thoroughly mixed before beginning the cooking process.

Clip the thermometer to the side of the pan making sure the bottom of the thermometer is suspended in the mixture and not touching the side or bottom of the pan. This is critical as improper placement could give you a false reading and your fudge will be ruined. Attaching the thermometer now makes it easier because the pan is not hot.

Heat the fudge over medium heat, stirring constantly with your wooden spoon/spatula, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Be careful when stirring not to bump the thermometer, but angle the spoon/spatula to gently stir the mixture underneath the thermometer. Once the fudge is boiling, stop stirring, let it continue to boil, and watch your thermometer closely. Remove the pan from the heat immediately when the temperature reads 234F. The cooking time ranges from 15-25 minutes.

Alternative method for checking if the fudge has reached the proper temperature: Drop a small amount of the mixture into a glass of very cold water. The fudge is done if it forms into a soft ball you can flatten between your fingers when removed from the water. If not, keep cooking and re-check frequently. This is called "cooking to the soft-ball stage". This method works for experienced candy makers, but the thermometer method works better for those who make candy and fudge only for the Christmas holidays.

When your Christmas Fudge mixture has reached 234F, or the soft-ball stage, immediately remove the mixture from the heat. Don't remove the candy thermometer from the side of the pan yet.

Add the butter and vanilla but DO NOT stir. Just drop the butter and pour the vanilla it into the center of the cooked fudge.

Let the fudge cool to 110F on the thermometer - if you are using the soft-ball stage, test the fudge every few minutes by checking the outside of the pan. It should be quite warm, but not hot to the touch. The fudge will be very slightly thickened. The cooling can take quite a while, but don't put it in the refrigerator to hurry the process.

When your fudge has cooled to the proper temperature whip the butter and vanilla in with your wooden spoon; continue beating until the fudge begins to thicken and starts to lose some of its shine. You will see the change in the gloss of the fudge as you continue to beat it. This process can take 10 to 15 minutes - don't get discouraged and don't stop too soon. The process of beating the fudge is critical to its setting properly.

Once the fudge thickens and loses some of its gloss, it will "set" very quickly. So, as soon as the color begins to dull and it becomes difficult to beat, spread/press it in your buttered 8x8 inch baking dish. Cool your Christmas Fudge and cut into small squares when set. You will know you've done it perfectly if the fudge is slightly grainy and more crumbly than the fudge you buy at the candy shop.

This Christmas Fudge recipe takes some practice. It took me several batches to get it right and I have provided you with my Dad's time tested tricks for this special Christmas Fudge recipe.

Finishing Touches:

Score the fudge with a knife while it's still warm to mark the pieces and press 1/2 walnut or pecan into the top of each piece. For a more festive look, press coarsely crushed candy canes into the top of your Christmas Fudge.

Store your Christmas Fudge in a colorful holiday container - it does not need to be refrigerated.

Christmas Fudge Gift Ideas:

Give your friends small bags of 3 or 4 individually wrapped pieces as dinner party gifts - the smallest gift bags are perfect. These same gift bags make great teachers' gifts as well.

Some things that can go wrong:

Your fudge will set up in the pan if you beat it too long - or become caramel-like and not set if not beaten enough. If it was taken off the heat too soon it will not "set".

Remedies:

I watched my Dad re-cook the fudge adding a little milk - I have never had success re-cooking. But if you want to try, melt you damage batch over low/medium heat with a tablespoon of milk, bring it back to the 234F, cool, and beat again. This may save your recipe.

Make a practice batch before the holidays - your family and friends will love being your Christmas Fudge guinea pigs.

Enjoy!

Sources:

http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=5303