South African Fudge

Fudge! OMG what can I say about SA style fudge to do it justice? I dream of fudge, and it is one of the things that I have missed the most in the almost 10 years I have been away from South Africa. I have not been able to acclimatise myself to the American style fudge in any way. The chocolate varieties are just too chocolately for my taste and the vanillas are just too sweet. Ok I admit the SA variety is super sweet as well but it is tempered with the wonderful rich caramel/toffee flavors that give it it's beautiful rich color and flavor. The Scottish might see this recipe and think wait that's Tablet! It is no such thing however. The recipes and formula might be almost identical, but there is an important step at the end of South African fudge that makes it unique. This step completely changes the texture from the smooth toffee consistancy to the beautiful, grainy, melt-in-your-mouth texture of  fudge.

After some experimentation with conversions and substitutions from South African to American measurements and products here is my Out of South Africa Fudge Recipe!


Ingredients

2 Cups White sugar
2 Cups Golden Brown sugar
1 Can Condensed milk
2 Tblspoons Karo Syrup (Preferably golden but I used the clear version and it worked well)
1/3 Cup Water
2 Tblspoons butter
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence

Directions

Place sugar and water into a large heavy saucepan.
Stir over a low heat until sugar has dissolved.
Add the butter and syrup and stir until butter has melted.
Add condensed milk and stir until it comes to a boil.
Boil very slowly making sure you stir continuously until the soft ball stage.
Remove from the stove and pour into a clean and cool bowl.
Add Vanilla essence and beat until it thickens. (This is the stage that makes the difference between toffee and fudge! You will notice the consistancy change as you beat the mixture)
Spoon into a greased pan and leave to cool.
Cut into squares when semi cool and serve when cool.