Trina's Grandpa's Crumbly Fudge
From the Kitchen of: Trina Clickner
trina@palmtoppublishing.com
My Grandfather's restaurant in downtown Rochester, NY stands no longer but it was a busy place that served a basic, American fare - there was nothing fancy about it.
It seems that my Grandfather saved his best Greek heritage cooking and his spectacular sweet-tooth specialties for our own family. This is his fudge recipe and it has been a family, Sunday night favorite for as long as I can remember.
This fudge is similar in consistency to maple sugar candy - it is not a gooey, soft fudge. My Grandpa's Crumbly Fudge is unusually creamy yet crumbly and extremely sweet - and very delicious. Once it's made, we can can't stop eating it until it's gone. Maybe you will have more willpower than we do!
Ingredients
- 3 heaping Tbs Hershey's cocoa powder
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 stick butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1-1/2 cup milk
- pinch of salt
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Cooling the fudge by submerging the pan bottom 1/2" to 1" in cold water and stirring while it cools is key. Be careful not to get the water in the fudge.
- Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a heavy sauce pan.
- Stir in milk.
- Heat on high until mixture begins to boil, stirring occasionally.
- Add butter.
- Stir until butter melts.
- Cook the bubbling mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Fill sink with 1" cold water.
- Heat to 220 degrees or until the soft ball mark on a candy thermometer - the mixture will start to turn darker brown.
- Remove from heat and submerge bottom of pan in water.
- Stir until mixture begins to thicken to an ice-cream sundae sauce texture.
- Add vanilla.
- Stir until mixture becomes dull and begins to harden.
- Spoon into a buttered pie plate.
- Cool slightly and cut into squares with a knife.
A candy thermometer is helpful but you can also determine when the fudge is ready to come off the heat by dropping a spoonful into a glass of cold water.
Makes a great, thoughtful, and personal gift for the sweet-tooth on your list!