Classic Vanilla Fudge

Fudge comes in many forms, but the ultimate has to be the lovely crisp home made fudge which breaks with a snap and melts in the mouth.   My mother's recipe is the one I've followed all my life, sometimes adding new ingredients, but generally coming back to the original.   For Mothering Sunday I made a special batch with some double cream added - it is delicious!  Chocolate is the traditional alternative, but vanilla, flavoured with real vanilla extract is still my favourite.   The recipe below is double quantity, as it really is pointless making anything less than a good sized tin of it...  I prefer to make slightly flatter squares in a larger tin.   A great recipe for children to use, but please help with the boiling stage - boiling sugar is very hot.  You will need a sugar thermometer, and a preserving pan is also a good idea as it helps with the evaporation during the boiling process.

Classic Vanilla Fudge

Classic Vanilla Fudge

1 pint/600ml milk, semi-skimmed or full fat

4oz/110g butter

2lb/900g granulated sugar

2tsp good quality vanilla extract

Oil the base of the preserving pan with flavourless cooking oil and wipe off the residue.    This helps to stop the mixture from burning.     Also oil a Swiss Roll sized baking tray (10” x 12” or smaller) – one that will not warp.   

Put all the ingredients except the vanilla into the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring.   When the sugar has melted, and you can’t hear it when you stir, boil the fudge rapidly until you get to 114 deg C (or soft ball).   This takes ages!   Some recipes say you should only stir occasionally, but ignore that – the fudge will do its best to burn on the bottom of the pan and you’ll get unattractive brown flecks (if that is the case, add 4oz/110g choc chips or nuts to disguise them!).    

Take it off the heat, cool very slightly and add the vanilla.  Then beat it until it fudges  – it goes opaque and starts to crystallise and you can just hear a scrunchy noise.   Quickly pour it into the tin and smooth it out.  If you’re too slow it will solidify in the pan.   Cut it into squares when it is cool enough that a knife cuts without getting either smears of fudge (too soon) or you can’t get it through (too late).

When it is cold, break it out of the tin by sacrificing the first square and digging a palette knife underneath it.  The rest should follow.  

(Sometimes I have found that the fudge could do with slightly less than 114 deg, when you can hear it crystallising on the sides).

I added 1/4pint/150ml of double cream... sheer indulgence.   Enjoy!