Dorothy’s Butter Pecan Fudge

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup organic heavy cream (or regular cream)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I like to use dark brown sugar but you could use light brown sugar if that's what you have)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted (this adds toasty flavor)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I have used Penzey’s Double-Strength Vanilla Extract, or Heilala vanilla extract, both excellent! Use what you have)
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar)

Directions

1. Mist an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, or better yet, grease it using the inside of the butter wrapper.
2. In a large saucepan, bring the butter, cream, sugar and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When it comes to a rolling boil (the bubbles cannot be stirred away), boil for exactly 5 minutes, stirring frequently, and then remove the pan from the heat.
3. Stir in pecans, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar and stir until smooth and well combined. This may take a minute, and will give your arm a workout!
4. Spread the mixture into prepared baking dish (a small offset spatula is helpful in this task to smooth the top). Cool to room temperature and then cut into little squares (5 or 6 or 7 rows vertically and 5 or 6 or 7 rows horizontally). Mixture will be somewhat crumbly, so cut using a very sharp knife or the edge of a sharp metal spatula, and avoid using “sawing” motions.
5. Serve on a pretty platter, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Can be frozen airtight with waxed paper between layers.
6. Makes 25-49 pieces. (Remember the math above? If you cut it into 5 rows by 5 rows, you'll get 25 pieces; 7 rows by 7 rows will yield 49 pieces.) This is rich stuff, so you can be confident cutting small pieces.

Notes