Perfect Fudge

This fudge recipe, from my grandma on my dads side, is a relatively easy way to make perfect fudge. I absolutely love fudge, but when I buy it in the store--even our local candy store where everything is made right in their kitchen at the back of the store--it has a waxy taste and texture. I absolutely guarantee that this fudge will not turn out like that. The only bad thing about this recipe, is that it doesn't make enough, and it is gone before you can blink!

I make lots of variations with this fudge recipe and you can too. In the photo, you can see that I sprinkled walnuts on the top half of the fudge....that's because my daughter likes it plain and each batch is half hers! Otherwise, it can be mixed in at the very end, once the chocolate is melted. I've also mixed in coconut for my mom and used white chocolate instead of the semi sweet chocolate.

If you're looking to make peanut butter fudge, I substitute approximately 3/4 of a cup of peanut butter for half of the chocolate chips. You can use smooth peanut butter or the nutty variety and both work well.

-1/4 cup butter (1/2 of a stick of the regular salted variety)
-1 five ounce can evaporated milk
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-2 1/2 cups sugar
-1 jar of marshmallow (7 1/2 ounces)
-12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Start by buttering your pan so it's ready when you need it. I use an 8 inch x 11 inch pan, but you can use anything that is similiar.

In a medium size pot, add the butter, milk, salt, sugar and marshmallow, and cook over a low heat. Stir until completely blended.

Turn up the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to stir--just enough so it doesn't stick to the bottom of your pot, while still stopping every minute or so to see if it is boiling. It will take approximately 3-5 minutes to boil; depending on your stove. Make sure it is actually boiling and not just popping air bubbles. If you're stirring with a spatula and scrapping the bottom of the pot and sides, this shouldn't be a problem.

When the mixture is boiling, turn down the heat so that you have a slow boil, and stir constantly for five minutes. When your five minutes are up, remove from the heat.

Add your chocolate and vanilla, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted, and vanilla is mixed in. If you're adding coconut, walnuts, or some other treat, now is the time to mix it in.

Pour into your buttered pan and cool. Enjoy your perfect fudge!