Simple Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

First, combine the sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan based on my experience preparing this dish. It is crucial to mix these dry ingredients first to ensure an even distribution of cocoa throughout the fudge.

Stir in the milk gradually. I recommend using a wooden spoon to avoid scratching your saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil.

Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer, without stirring, until it reaches the soft-ball stage (234-240°F on a candy thermometer). From my experience, do not to be tempted to hike up the heat to speed up the process, as it can cause the mixture to burn.

Remove the saucepan from heat and add butter and vanilla extract, but do not stir just yet. Let the fudge cool to 110°F.

Once cooled, beat the fudge until it thickens and loses its gloss. This may take up to 15 minutes of beating, but this makes the fudge wonderfully creamy.

Immediately pour the fudge into a greased 8x8 inch pan and let it cool and solidify. From chilling to cutting the fudge, being patient is key. Cutting too soon can cause the fudge to crumble.