This is a very traditional, old-fashioned candy recipe. You only need a few ingredients. To deepen the chocolate flavor, you can add a little instant coffee.
Bring the fudge to a rolling boil over medium to medium-high heat. Allow the candy to cook. Carefully stir occasionally to prevent any sticking, until it reaches 234F.
You can use a clip-on candy thermometer, but I prefer using an instant-read thermometer. Either way, remove the candy from the heat when it reaches 234F.
Plop the butter and vanilla into the pan but don't stir it in. Let the candy hang out, undisturbed, until the temperature is about 110F. This will take about an hour.
You'll notice the color lightening a bit as you whip air into the candy and as the sugar crystals start to form. It will also lose its sheen and become matte.
Quickly stir in the pecans. The candy will thicken quickly at this point. Scrape the candy into your prepared pan and use an offset spatula to press it evenly into the pan.
You can also press more pecans on top of the fudge. I added a light sprinkling of smoked sea salt. Cover the fudge and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
Remove the candy from the pan to cut it into 1" squares (or your preferred size.)Click below for the complete recipe.Please see the next slide for more old-fashioned candy recipes. Thank you!