Where's The Buttermilk Fudge?

I Want To Make One Thing Perfectly Clear. THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT!

Really.
I had it all planned out. I was going to make the fudge this last weekend and take my chances.
Then my sister, who is the second coming of Betty Crocker, got in touch with me and wanted to learn how to make the Buttermilk Fudge. Completely understandable, this stuff is that good, and she’s made candy before so it would be no problem for her. But she hasn’t made this fudge before, and since I was the only one Mom actually showed how to do it, go figure, she wanted me to show her how Mom did it.
Seeing as I owe her for letting me get away with the vegetable platter for Thanksgiving, and I need the moral support, we fixed a date to get together and make fudge.
At least that was the plan, which didn’t quite work out.
Not that it’s sister’s fault either. I mean she has a day job, plus children, grandchildren and a ton of Christmas shopping which she got behind on. Plus my niece’s, her granddaughter’s, first dance recital, which her daughter helped to choreograph, was that weekend, and we were both expected to be there.
Way too cute let me tell you, and so worth it.
Long story short, I know too late for that, we didn’t get it done. Now the fudge is getting made, but I'm back to doing it by myself again because my sister is just too busy. It's getting done this weekend, but as this is the family Christmas recipe, and Christmas is on Tuesday (can you believe it?) and I don’t post until Thursday,I decided I’ll share the recipe, and then blog about the fudge making hijinks in the next week or two. Since I'm own again this should be hilarious.
The only thing that would make this worse is if the fudge zombies decide to show up.
Just to let you know I talked this over with my sister and we both agree that this is not a secret family recipe. If you want put out the effort, we think you deserve to have it.
Now there are actually two versions of this recipe believe it or not. Why? That will become apparent very quickly.
This is the version my Mom used, and probably my sister once she knows how to do it:

BUTTERMILK FUDGE
3 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk
3 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 Cups chopped nuts
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp Vanilla
Mix sugar, buttermilk, soda, salt and syrup into large pan. Bring to full boil, cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil until mixture forms soft ball in cold water.Remove from heat, add nuts, vanilla and butter. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased pan and cut into squares, or drop onto wax paper by teaspoonfuls.

Sounds pretty straight forward right?
WRONG!
Don’t be fooled my friends,this is how I ended up with Buttermilk Fudge soup the first time I made it. Only candy making experts, such as my mother and sister, should attempt this simplified version of this diabolical recipe.
Here’s the one to be used by the rest of us. It will also warn you exactly what you are getting yourself into so if you get an arm cramp after doing all the stirring, don’t blame me!

BUTTERMILK FUDGE
3 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups nuts (pecans, walnuts,etc.) lightly toasted and chopped coarse
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 tsp vanilla
In large saucepan or Dutch oven combine sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup, baking soda and salt. Over medium heat bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes or until syrup reaches 234 degrees on candy thermometer to the softball stage. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in pecans, butter and vanilla. Beat with wooden spoon until mixture starts to thicken and loses its gloss. Working quickly to prevent candy from setting, drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper, or pour into greased pan and cut into squares. Let stand about 30 minutes or until set. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place.
Note: If mixture becomes firm before all is used, stir in a few drops of hot water.

That’s all there is to it. Right.
Merry Christmas!

Mystery writer C.L. Ragsdale is the author of The Reboot Files a Christian Mystery Series. A California native, she loves to "surf" the web to research plot details for her fun, quirky stories with just a bit of whopper in them. She has a degree in Theatre Arts which greatly influenced her writing style. Working in various fields as a secretary has allowed her to both master her writing skills and acquire valuable technical knowledge which she uses liberally in her plots. She loves to embroider and knit and is a big fan of the old Scooby Doo cartoons.

Current E-Books
THE REBOOT FILES:  The Mystery of Hurtleberry House, The Island of Living Trees, The Harbinger of Retribution, and The Wrong Ghost.

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