The Mystery Of The Peanut Butter Fudge-Solved!
Sugar Work By -K8memphis Updated 9 Dec 2010 , 10:41pm by GI
AFTER 50+ YEARS 
Pop made p.e.r.f.e.c.t. peanut butter fudge, flawless impeccable sweet heavenly peanut butter manna. I made alternating batches of peanut butter soup and peanut butter sand dune.
I know I saw him put 'something' in it once before he beat it up. I asked, he shined me on and he convinced me, it was nothing. I mean I have the recipe memorized for all these years that's how many times I've tried it. And I'm not a complete slouch in the kitchen.
CREAM OF TARTAR, baby!!! I just made Pop p.e.r.f.e.c.t peanut butter manna from heaven fudge. Thank you, Google and http://www.ehow.com/how_2275822_make-oldfashioned-peanut-butter-fudge.html.
GOTCHA, POP!!!!!! You rascal you!!!!
Nancy (Drew) would be proud...of both of us!!!
It's called Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge on that site but I tweaked it thusly:
2 c sugar
2 T Karo syrup
1 c water (I used 2/3 cup milk)
salt
1/4 c butter or margarine
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cream of tartar
1 1/4 c peanut butter (I used an overflowing 1/3 cup)
buttered 8"X8" cake pan
Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and just a little salt in a heavy 2-qt saucepan and cook on medium heat. Once your mixture comes to a good boil lower your heat and keep it cooking nicely until candy thermometer reads soft ball stage. Takes 10 minutes or so maybe 15.
Remove from heat--add butter and beat until melted. Add cream of tartar mix well. Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat well until it starts to hold it's shape--when it no longer just melts back into itself. Takes several minutes.
Pour into buttered pan and sprinkle immediately with kosher salt.
mmm mmm mmm
It was worth waiting 50 years!!! 
Way to go, -K8.
Now you know how I felt the day I remembered the missing ingredient from my grandmother's chicken soup was parsnips. After that, it was perfecto every time.
And thanks for sharing it with us.
Theresa 
Thanks K8!! I promise to make it, and lord it over my sister like Ghengis Khan!! Muahahahahaha... ahem... sorry.
EVEN BETTER!!!!!
My sister lives in California--and we all love WhiteCastle hamburgers, sliders. You can't get 'em there. I mean now you can get them in the frozen section but back before that I used to send her coupons!!!! Bwowahahahahahaha
My sister lives in California--and we all love WhiteCastle hamburgers, sliders. You can't get 'em there. I mean now you can get them in the frozen section but back before that I used to send her coupons!!!! Bwowahahahahahaha
The frozen ones are not nearly the same as the ones right from the restaurant. And they'll be opening one within a mile of my house, next Summer! I can't wait. No more road trips.
Theresa
I am so bad... is there anyone on earth that can get a thread off topic faster than me? 
But seriously, this sounds so delish... what do you think the cream of tartar does for the fudge. I have honestly never used it in my fudge. What was the noticeable difference? Was is taste, texture, both? Just curious. I know it adds stability to some things, but I don't imagine that's the case here.
It set up like it should--like Pop's always did. I don't know what the deal is. I just know that's the first time it ever came out in my life and I used cream of tartar. It comes out like soup or so dry you can't even cut it. So this came out so good, nice & creamy and still moist and firm and flavorful~~ I asked my husband to please hide it from me. He did.
my hubby loves peanut butter fudge - so I want to be sure I understand ... you only used 1/3 cup peanut butter instead of the 1 1/4 cup?
If so, does it still have a big peanut butter flavor?
Also - did you use whole milk?
Thanks-
Do you have a good/similar regular fudge recipe too? Cuz wouldn't it be GOOD to layer a chocolate and peanut butter fudge? Mmmm....
Yes it does! But I never felt like branching out if I couldn't get this one right. I'm 'free' now!!!
However I did make a no cook cream cheese chocolate fudge to die for. I just googled it and read a few recipes and made it up from what I read. It's like chocolate cream cheese icing that sets up well enough to slice. It's a no brainer but really good!!
my hubby loves peanut butter fudge - so I want to be sure I understand ... you only used 1/3 cup peanut butter instead of the 1 1/4 cup?
If so, does it still have a big peanut butter flavor?
Also - did you use whole milk?
Thanks-
I used half evaporated milk and water.
What got me on this crusade was someone brought some to work and it was less than flavorful. So depite all odds I thought I'd try it one more time. But the flavor is fine--it's just like Pop's. I don't think you can mess it up if you increase it. But I'm not an expert remember--I got this straight once lol
Do you have a good/similar regular fudge recipe too? Cuz wouldn't it be GOOD to layer a chocolate and peanut butter fudge? Mmmm....
Me? Shoot... I'm not like a fudge master or anything... it's one of the few things I don't make very often. (Xmas holiday is pretty much the only time people are looking for it. I have two distinct options... Easy and Alton! Hehehe.
Alton:
2 3/4 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Directions
Grease an 8 by 8-inch pan with butter. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, chocolate, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter, half-and-half, and corn syrup. Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved and chocolate is melted. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Cook until the thermometer reads 234 degrees F. Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter. Do not stir. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes or until it drops to 130 degrees F. Add vanilla and nuts, if desired, and mix until well-blended and the shiny texture becomes matte. Pour into the prepared pan. Let sit in cool dry area until firm. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Easy:
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Heat the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts, if using; pour into the prepared pan. Spread gently then cover lightly with the ends of the plastic wrap. Chill until firm. Lift out of the pan and cut into small squares.
I think it is sooo sad when people guard a recipe so well that they take it to their grave with them. I wish they would entrust it with a couple favored people or at least leave the recipe with their will or important papers.
Oh yah!! Especially when it's something SOOO good! I have tried to get over that secretive recipe hoarding thing. I've been sharing a lot here over the last few years, and it's been therapeutic for me.
I used an overflowing 1/3 cup, piled real high.
If it matters (and it really doesn't) it was health food
stuff that you have to keep the oil mixed up into.
Any peanut butter will be fine.
I used an overflowing 1/3 cup, piled real high.
If it matters (and it really doesn't) it was health food
stuff that you have to keep the oil mixed up into.
Any peanut butter will be fine.
K8, do you mean, you didn't use 1 cup plus 1/3 cup overflowing PB? That you only used 1/3 cup PB in total?
Edited to ask cause I forgot. Why the milk instead of the water? Does the milk give it a better flavor and texture?
Thanks!
I just used the overflowing one third cup and that's all.
And I used milk becaue Popsie used milk
Melvira, I have noticed that 'real' fudge doesn't have to be refrigerated. Do you know if the easy fudge does? I want to put fudge in my Xmas gift baskets but everything must be nonperishable
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