Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Fudge:

This is a simple and yet spectacular recipe that you can cut in half---but we have found the full one really is never enough.

Ingredients:

6 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups butter-if you melt it first it just seems to go better...

2 5 ounce tins evaporated milk (1 and 1/3 cups)

2 cups pumpkin pie filling

4 tablespoons corn syrup

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or you can mix your own with cinnamon, ginger and cloves

18-22 oz white chocolate chips ( I like the Ghiradelli ones and they are in 11 ounce bags) or make chunks from white bark

14 ouces marshmallow creme (2 small 7 ounce jars)

2 cups pecans (lightly toast them on a cookie sheet at 350 for 5 minutes to bring out the flavor-worth the extra effort...)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups craisins (optional but I think you will like the color and taste)

1 cup coconut (optional but I tend to put coconut in everything...)

Equipment:

Candy Thermometer (just buy one and if you don't use it often, email me...)

lasagna pan covered in foil so the foil literally hangs over the edges after you have pressed it in the corners. Then spray this with vegetable spray. You can use a 13x10 inch pan, two 8x8 inch pans but I like to just make one big pan.

Your heaviest pot. (When you go shopping for new pots you really do want something heavy. It just heats better, evener and though it may be hard to lift-it will do a better job for you all around)

Procedure:

In your heaviest pot place sugar, butter, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie filling, corn syrup and spices. Using your candy thermometer like a spoon, mix and heat on medium high heat until your thermometer reads soft ball or 234 degrees.

Remove from heat and mix in white chocolate chips, marshamllow creme, pecans,

vanilla, craisins and coconut (if adding).

Scoop into prepared pan and smooth out. Refrigerate for a few hours or until firm. Covered so it does not absorb the other scents in your fridge.

Lift foil out of pan and peel away. Cut and enjoy. I like to cut elongated diamonds or a leaf cookie cutter...of course there is never any waste as the scraps are good for nibbling