Florida Fudge (Chocolate Peanut Butter)

         This is a fudge recipe my mom found many years ago in a magazine.  She had the original copy of it, cut from the pages of the magazine, in her recipe box for years.  I have no idea what magazine it was found in, it must have been before I was born because I do not remember a Christmas when we didn't enjoy this fudge.  Now, for my kids, it is the epitomy of what Christmas food is about.  If there is no Florida Fudge, then Christmas just isn't right.  The chocolate-peanut butter goodness of this fudge is better than a peanut butter cup, yet it is much easier to make.  There is no candy thermometer involved.  No dropping fudge into cold water to get it to soft ball stage.  It is so simple and delicious that you are going to want to make it a Christmas staple at your house.

Also, it makes quite a bit! You may get a piece or two before it is all gone. (I have to confess that I already had a piece or two...or three before taking this photo.)

        Before I give you the recipe, let me give you a few tips.  .First of all, this recipe calls for "Heaping Tablespoons" of Cocoa and Peanut Butter.  I feel like I don't see those kinds of measurements much any more.  Everyone is much more precise in their cooking.  Let me show you what "heaping" looks like.

This is a regular kitchen tablespoon heaped, not leveled with Cocoa.

Here is a side view. The recipe calls for 3 heaping T. of cocoa. I measured those in a measuring cup and it was about 3/4 c. if you would rather do that.

This is a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter. Not a measuring spoon, but a serving spoon that is called a tablespoon. 3 T. measures about 1 and 1/4 c. I would rather use the spoon method instead of getting peanut butter in my measuring cup.

        The recipe asks you to cook and stir constantly the sugar, cocoa and milk (canned evaporated, not sweetened condensed) mixture until it reaches a rolling boil.  That means that there will be big bubbles that don't disappear as you stir.  Then, you turn off the heat and add the peanut butter.  You will use your hand mixer to beat in the peanut butter until it holds its shape.  Don't let it get super stiff or it will dry out and be hard to scoop out.  It should look like this:

See how it is thick and you can see the beater marks? See how the fudge on the beaters is holding its shape? But it isn't super stiff in the pan.

       Now it is ready to drop onto waxed paper.  You can pour it into a pan, but our traditional way is to drop it on waxed paper into nuggets of goodness.  You can't argue with tradition.  (Well, not in this case anyway.)

Work quickly. When you first drop the fudge onto the paper it looks like this.

As you continue, it will get thicker and look like this. Also, I start out with nice little dollops of fudge, but as I continue they tend to get a little bigger and messier. Oh well, it has never stopped anyone from eating every last crumb of this stuff.

 Here is the printable recipe!

Florida Fudge

Who am I kidding? No one is going to stop at two little pieces of fudge on their cute little plate! But, it makes a nice picture of someone's imaginary, self controlled life.

       I hope you give this recipe a try! You are going to love it.  Santa would love those two little pieces of fudge on his plate on Christmas Eve. (He has left us notes and told us that he loves it!) Come back tomorrow for something just as delicious, but a little more savory!

    Nice measuring set with numbers that won't wear off! Good gift for a cook.