Old Fashioned Brown Sugar Fudge

I don't have a written recipe for this fudge; its an old family recipe and i've made it so often in my lifetime its in my head but i'll do my best to explain the process; it's easy but if not done right you will get a taffy-like or brittle not fudge. I cant give you candy thermometer temperatures as i've never used one.

INGREDIENTS:

1 - kg bag of light brown sugar
1 - can, evaporated milk
1/2 - teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8-inch baking pan, greased with butter or margarine
large, deep cooking pot as fudge has to boil hard

IN LARGE POT: add the brown sugar, margarine, milk & salt turn stove element on to about 6-7, mix well and bring to hard boil, taking care to continually stir; so as not to scorch on bottom!! Once hard-boiling, turn down to about 4-5, cook it slow keeping a steady boil, but not so hot it might scorch on bottom of pot! This is the secret: patience and stirring! i never leave my fudge unstirred longer than 2-3 minutes!!

Once the fudge has been boiling about 40 minutes or more; get a tall glass and fill with very cold water. Clean out your kitchen sink, plug it and add very cold water, about 3 inches high.

Using a spoon, drop a little fudge into the glass of water; if the fudge forms a ball by the time it hits bottom; it's ready!! if it doesn't, boil a little longer, testing, stirring regularly! Once the fudge forms a ball... turn off stove, add vanilla-it will create a "rapid-boil", stir fudge until it settles remove from stove; place into the readied watered sink!!

STIR-LIKE-CRAZY - until the fudge thickens and begins to dull in texture!! It's shiny when hot, duller when thickening. Now, the tricky part - if you wait too long it will harden before you can pour into pan; so i usually stir until it's barely shiny.. then quickly pour into pan!! IF you stir too long, and it hardens as pouring into pan; just add a little milk, cook until heated through; pour into pan.

Spread hot fudge into greased baking pan, use knife to pull away from sides; while hot.. sprinkle generously with crushed pecans, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, raisins, take your pick!

Refrigerate until set and cool; invert on cutting board, to get out of pan, then flip so nuts are side up - cut into small squares, enjoy!! Good also plain!!

TIP: there will be fudge in the pot clung to bottom and sides; don't waste it!! use a metal spoon and scrape into a bowl, chill.. break it up, baggy it and fridgerate or freeze to add as a topping on a frosted cake or ice-cream ; )

ENJOY< from my house to yours, Merry Christmas