Sue Gammond’s Grandma, Alma Knox, aka “Birdie” was well known for her fudge.
She loved to entertain and always made it at Christmas time – often with Sue by her side, showing her the special techniques that made her fudge creamier and much more delicious than anyone else’s. To add to the specialness of this delicious sweet, Grandma Alma served her fudge in a fancy crystal dish, presenting it like a treasure to be savoured and enjoyed, one bite at a time.
Sue is happy to share her recipe with our Bayview readers, noting that if you cook the fudge too long and it turns to a crumbly sugar, you can always add some cream and boil it again. “It’s an acquired skill to make fudge!” Sue admits, but well worth the practice.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Add the brown sugar and cream to a medium sized pot and blend. Add the butter and stir. Put over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir until the butter and sugar are melted and combined then stop stirring or the sugar will crystallize and become grainy.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sugar reaches 236 degrees Fahrenheit. Test using the soft ball method by adding some of the candy mixture to a cup of cold water. If a soft candy ball forms, then the fudge is cooked.
Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooled add the vanilla (and nuts if desired) and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until the fudge becomes smooth, lighter in colour and loses its shininess to a matte texture.
Pour fudge quickly into an 8” x 8” glass dish greased or lined with parchment paper. Push the fudge into the corners of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula and smooth off the top. Let cool for 1 hour and then cut into squares. Enjoy!
