JoAnn’s Fudge Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 X11 glass oblong baking dish and set aside.
Stir the butter, chocolate and vanilla together in 5-quart mixing bowl and set aside.
In a 3-quart sauce pan mix together the milk and sugar. Place pan over low heat stirring constantly. Once it reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for 6 minutes. Stir it constantly. It will be between 234 – 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. This step will take about 20 minutes. Don’t be in any hurry. The full six minutes is necessary. It will be very hot!
Immediately pour the hot mixture over the chocolate, butter and vanilla (and optional nuts). Stir with a sturdy spoon until the butter and chocolate are completely incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat until it is thick and loses its shine.
Immediately pour this chocolate goodness evenly into the prepared oblong dish. The bowl will be hot. The fudge will start setting right away. Let it cool on a rack in a cool part of your kitchen. It will harden without refrigeration.
Lick the bowl and spoon.
Once completely cool (the bottom of the glass dish is cold and fudge is firm), cut into one-inch squares, layer on waxed paper in tins or glass containers. Keep tightly sealed. Store in the refrigerator.

Rules:

Make fudge when the skies are clear, temperatures are crisp and humidity is low.
Always use the finest ingredients.
Resist the temptation of turning up the heat to speed up the process while boiling the milk and sugar. It will scorch and that means it’s burnt. Stop and begin again.
Over boiling is as bad as under boiling. Set a timer. You don’t need a thermometer.
Keep fudge (and all chocolate) in tightly closed containers. Chocolate absorbs the odors and flavors of whatever is near by.
Enjoy and share your fudge!