Five Pounds of Fudge

Easy Five Pounds of Fudge

One of my favorite things to make, especially with the holidays around the corner, is fudge.  We love this sweet, creamy, smooth, rich tasting, melt-in-your-mouth candy. 

When I was young, I always made it the old-fashioned way, by cooking and then beating it until it was just the right time to pour it in the pan. However, I always had a hard time knowing when to stop beating the mixture.  I would go after that fudge with vigor. But after a while, my arm would tire and I just wanted to pour it in the pan.  I would then ask my mother if it was ready, and she would always say that it was still shiny and needs more beating. Luckily, she would take the pot and finish the beating for me.

I was very happy to find this recipe in an old cookbook published by the power company.  What I love about this recipe is; I can make a big batch and it is so easy to prepare!  I love this recipe because there is no need to worry whether I've beaten it enough. It turns out perfectly almost every time. The almost is dependent on the weather and the humidity of the day. If the day has high humidity, then do not make this recipe. It will not turn out.

Many people add nuts to their fudge, but I am one of the few who do not. I never cared for nuts in my food, but I love to eat them on their own.  However, for those who do like nuts in their fudge, I have included them the ingredient list. 


Ingredients

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
18 ounces chocolate chips
2 sticks butter (I use real butter, not margarine.)
1 (7 ounces) container marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons vanilla
Nuts (optional)

Directions

Butter the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.

Combine sugar and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.  Boil 8 minutes stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Add the chocolate chips, butter, marshmallow creme, vanilla and nuts. Stir until everything is melted and combined. 

Pour the mixture into the  buttered pan.  When it is set up and cool, it is time to cut, eat and enjoy.

Tips

There are times, when the chocolate chips do not melt for me.  When this happens, I put the pan over a low heat, stirring constantly until they melt. You can also chop the chocolate chips into smaller pieces or use the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Another thing to remember is to stir the sugar mixture while it is cooking. Do not leave it even for a minute.  I have made the mistake of stepping away for a brief moment only to find out that the fudge scorched on the bottom.