Whenever I make new things, I'm tempted to take some short cuts. Please don't try that on these recipes. You may trust in my laziness. I have listed nothing that isn't essential. If you follow these recipes exactly as written, you will experience the same amazing candy that we enjoy.
FUDGE
Butter sides of saucepan.
Mix:
6 T cocoa
2 C sugar
Add and heat:
3/4 C cream
2 T corn syrup
Use 7 heat until boiling, then turn down to 4.
Don’t pick spoon out of syrup.
Stir constantly.
Heat to very soft ball, just until holds together after you drop it in ice water and forms a soft ball that you can roll in your fingers.
Put pan into sink of cold water.
Let it sit in the cold water, don’t stir. After a minute or two, drop in:
3 T butter
1-1/2 t vanilla
Just let it sit there, no mixing, until the sides of pan are warm but not hot.
Start beating. It will be syrupy at first but slowly thicken (I recommend you make this a two-person job, trading off every minute or two). It will get very resistant and beating will be difficult. When it goes from glossy to velvety, just before it goes solid, pour quickly onto buttered counter-top.
Cut in cubes when solid, in about 10 minutes.
CARAMEL
Mix:
2 C sugar
3/4 C corn syrup
1/2 C butter
1 C cream
Heat to boil, stirring regularly.
Gradually add:
1 C cream
Bring back to boil and heat up to firm ball stage, until it has darkened and holds together like caramel sauce. When it looks ready, drop into ice water to test it. After 30 seconds, fish the caramel out and eat it. It's ready when it holds together and is chewy.
Take off the heat and stir until bubbling stops. Add:
1/2 t vanilla
and stir well. Repeat twice more for a total of 1-1/2 t vanilla.
Pour into buttered 8” square pan. Cool completely. Cut into squares.
