Once upon a time, confections were given as gifts. I suppose they still are but I can remember a lady bringing my Mom and Dad a box of homemade candies. Yes, fudge was in there, too. The box was a lovely one, with candy store stripes, sections for each confection, and a slip of colored paper on top. A pretty pastel pink ribbon tied the box closed. It was like getting Christmas in spring!
Mom would sometimes take confections she made to people on a small, melamine plate. She would get out her paper squares, place each confection in one, and wrap it all up in cellophane with a tied bow at the top. You can't find the square paper cups in the stores like you could back then. I suspect because people just don't give homemade goods as gifts anymore.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Whatever happened to making just a small and tasty gift for someone? Mom used to make gifts of her confections, her jams and jellies, and even her pickles! I think we need to get back to that. The homemade gift that is. And maybe we can show we care without going into debt.
My Mom never made the 1930s PET fudge but I did have it at my Grandpa Hallers when we visited them back in the summer of my 5th birthday. How can I remember, you ask? My dear Aunt Jan handed it on to Mom who tucked the card away in her purse and Mom, through many objections, let us children each taste a piece each. Did it taste good? It was candy- that's all I remember!
- 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp white corn syrup
- 1 cup PET canned milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cups chopped nuts
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
- Add sugar, salt, and corn syrup and mix well.
- Add milk and blend well.
- Cook rapidly until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly
- Reduce heat and cook slowly until it reaches a temperature of 236 degrees on the candy thermometer or until a small drop of it forms a ball when dropped into water.
- Cool the mixture WITHOUT STIRRING until your hand can be held comfortably on the bottom of the pan.
- Add vanilla and beat VIGOROUSLY until it becomes thick and creamy.
- Add nuts.
- Put in a lined or greased pan and cool.