Grandma'S Peanut Butter Fudge

1. 1

   Butter a 9-inch pieplate. Set aside.

2. 2

   Place peanut butter and vanilla in a medium bowl.

3. 3

   Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Using a pastry brush dipped in hot water, brush down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 235u00b0 (soft ball stage). Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Pour hot syrup over peanut butter mixture in bowl. (Do not scrape sides of pan.) Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Quickly pour into prepared pieplate. Cool completely. Cut candy into pieces.

4. 4

   Tips: Grandma probably used the stage method to determine her candy's readiness, but a thermometer will give you more consistent results. Be sure to check that your thermometer works accurately and adjust accordingly if it doesn't. For example: if water boils at 212u00b0 on your thermometer, your thermometer works accurately. If it boils at 210u00b0, cook this recipe to 233u00b0; if the boiling point on your thermometer is 214u00b0, cook this recipe to 237u00b0. Be sure that the bulb of the candy thermometer is fully submerged in syrup but does not touch bottom of saucepan. Don't beat candy too long; it hardens quickly as it cools. Beating candy in a separate bowl helps prevent the grainy texture that results from accidentally scraping any crystals off sides of pan.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

No additional tips available.