So far this recipe has been used by 4 generations of my family – and we have the big Swedish hips to prove it! We’ve been making it every year since the 1950s. It is always a hit – at potlucks, family dinners, office parties, gifts for teachers and neighbors – my nieces and I call ourselves “the Fudge Fairies” when we make this no-fail recipe. Enjoy!
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk (I think it’s 12 ounces)
3 (or more!) cups chocolate chips (traditional is to use all semi-sweet, but you can try milk, white, or butterscotch if you like)
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (your choice)
1/2 pound (8 ounces) butter or margerine
28 large marshmallows (or about 3 cups of miniature marshmallows)
2 tablespoons of vanilla
Pour milk and sugar into a large, heavy bottom pan (I like to use a Dutch oven on the stovetop).
Bring the mixture to a boil – keep boiling for 9 full minutes, stirring constantly. (If you don’t stir the full 9 minutes, the texture is wrong – so laugh, tell stories, have some egg nog – but keep stirring at a full boil for 9 whole minutes. The mixture may rise up all bubbly – if it gets too high, turn down the heat a little, but keep it at a boil.
Take the pan off the heat and add the butter/margerine, nuts, chips, marshmallows, and vanilla. Stir to melt and mix – use a strong utensil. Make sure it is all mixed well. It takes awhile – but it is worth it.
Pour fudge into a buttered pan – I like to use a big cookie sheet, 12 in. by 17 in., about 1 inch deep. Chill for at least 2 hours before cutting. Makes 5 pounds.
* I often make this a month before Christmas – then sample it periodically, for “quality control”. For those who prefer a dry fudge, I take it out of the pan, cut it, and flip it over, exposing the bottom to the air, so it dries out more quickly. (And of course if there are any crumbs, guess who gobbles them up?!!)
submitted by Kerry (Kezza) Vincent