Holiday Candy- Part 2 Peanut Butter Fudge with Chocolate

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter 

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk 

3 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons butter

1 package almond bark (chocolate)

Vegetable oil or extra butter

Supplies: Large pot, candy thermometer, double boiler, wooden ladle, waxed paper or shortening, 8 x 8 square pan, cutting board

Combine the sugar, salt, peanut butter and evaporated milk in a large pot. Clip candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Cook over medium/high heat stirring constantly. Continue to cook slowly until the temp reaches the softball stage, which is 240 degrees. It should take about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla, and butter. Mix thoroughly by hand to mix in the last ingredients and cool it down. It will have a very shiny appearance when you start stirring but as you stir it and it cools down the candy will start to lose the gloss. 

It will start to thicken as well, and when it does, this is the time to  pour the mixture into a shallow dish - like a square brownie pan. My favorite thing to do to ensure no sticking is to grease a pan with shortening. But, you can use pan spray or line the bottom with waxed paper ad spray the sides of the pan. Set the fudge aside in a cool place. 

When the fudge is cooled ( about 1/2 hour- 1 hour) start melting the chocolate in a double boiler or 2 pans in one trick (see Buckeye recipe). When it is completely melted pour it right on top of the peanut butter fudge in the pan. Set aside again for 1-3 hours. When the chocolate is hard run a knife around the edge between the chocolate and fudge and the pan. Turn the pan over on top of a plate or cutting board and pop the whole thing out. Cut into desired sized squares. Store in tupperware.