Jon Brandt
CFRE, (he·him·his)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Holiday Recipe: Grandma’s Fudge
This is my mother’s recipe, which she got from her mother. It is a family tradition to make a batch for Christmas, and if her children could not be home for Christmas she would send us a batch in the mail.
My sister and I, and now my daughter, continue the tradition.
It can be a bit tricky, and the fudge sometimes doesn’t set as well as you would want (this is a hard fudge, not soft). My mother was always better at it than I, and I have to use a thermometer. She went by instinct. When it doesn’t set properly, take a small spoonful and roll in powdered sugar and/or chopped peanuts for an excellent replacement.
It is neither GF or lactose-free and I haven’t attempted substitutes. It is, however, excellent. And always tastes like Christmas to me.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Salt
Mom’s Instructions
- Cook milk, butter, sugar, cocoa, and a dash of salt for 12‑14 minutes.
- Add flour and vanilla. Stir briskly until well mixed.
- Pour onto a lightly buttered cookie sheet.
Jon’s Additional Instructions
- Mix ingredients until everything has melted, then let boil without stirring until it reaches 115C.
- Take off the burner and let cool for at least 5 minutes, add flour and vanilla, whisk excessively. Should be approximately 60C when adding flour.