Desserts: Grandma Fudge

Today's dessert is super special to my family and me. My Grandma Finnigan makes this fudge every year for Christmas and only for Christmas. There have been several methods to try to savor Gram's fudge: eating as much as possible in one sitting, taking a small bite every day to stretch it out over the holiday season, or try to make your own Grandma Fudge. While the third option is obviously the most practical, Gram is very protective over her fudge recipe. As far as I know, I am the only grandchild that has it. (That's right, cousins! Be nice to me or you will never have my Grandma Fudge!) Maybe I am the favorite ;)

My Gram and Pap Finnigan

Anyways! Since it is a secret family recipe, I can't post all about it here! Instead, I will share some of the most important Grandma rules to fudge making.

1.  You must use a fudge pot. A fudge pot is a big, heavy pot with no non-stick or Teflon coating. I was lucky enough to get a hand-me-down fudge pot from my Gram, so I knew it would work.

Cooking the "candy" until Soft Ball for PB

Ready to go for Chocolate Fudge

2.  You must use a wooden spoon.  I don't really know why this is important, but I always listen to my Gram.  She has the best fudge, so there must be a good reason.

Mixing in the last few ingredients before pouring

3.  Don't rush the fudge.  Rushed fudge = crumbly and grainy fudge.

Finished PB Fudge

Finished Chocolate Fudge

4.  Grandma Fudge does not go in the fridge.  Grandma Fudge does not go in the freezer.  Grandma Fudge can be stored in plastic containers between wax paper (or foil, or parchment paper) for a few weeks.

Well, as you can see, my first batch of fudge turned out pretty nicely.  I made Peanut Butter fudge to practice a bit before moving on to Chocolate.  It takes awhile to cool completely, but I did taste some (by scraping the fudge pot), and it tasted pretty good!  I'll do a full taste comparison once its sets ;)  I think my Gram will be proud!

One 9 x 13 pan of PB Fudge cost me $4.76, which comes out to about $0.05 per fudge square (if you cut anywhere from 72 to 112 pieces).  The Chocolate Fudge is only slightly more expensive ($5.01) which is only 1/2 cent more per square.