Batch's Fudge
and
Mary Boren's Chocolate Cake


BATCH'S FUDGE RECIPES

In a 3 qt pan, bring the following to soft ball stage (234):
        3 cups sugar
        1 1/2 sticks butter
        1 5 oz can evaporated milk

Remove from heat and add:
        2 12oz bags chocolate chips*
        1 jar marshmallow cream
        1 oz vanilla
        2 cups walnut or pecan pieces

Pour into a 9x12 pan and cool.

* For variation mix 1 semi sweet and 1 milk chocolate, or 2 milk, or 2 semisweet; (with 2 butterscotch or 2 peanutbutter, delete the nuts)

Christmas fudge - use 2 white chocolate, add red and green candied cherries (or red & green candy canes) and nuts if desired.

Jalapeno fudge - use 2 white chocolate, 2-3 peppers (remove seeds), pecans, red & green cherries. Mix peppers first with nuts and cherries to help disperse moisture. This takes longer to set up, but it's great.

Pumpkin - use white chocolate and a can of pumpkin pie filling.


MARY BOREN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Mix 4 1 oz squares of semi sweet baking chocolate, 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, and the yolk of 1 egg in the top of a double boiler. Cook until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 eggs (and white from the other egg), 1 1/2 sticks of melted butter, 2 tsp vanilla. Add the chocolate mix, pour into cake pans and cook at 350 for 30-35 minutes. (You can cook it in 4 thin pans for about 18 minutes and get more frosting between the layers).

Ice with 4 cups of sugar, 1 3/4 cups of milk, 1/2 stick butter, 8 tbsp of cocoa, 4 tbsp Karo syrup. Cook in a 4-5 qt pan to soft ball stage (about 243). Use a large 4 qt pan and spoon to stir! Remove from heat, add 3 tsp vanilla. Pour 1/2 in a small pan and beat until it starts to lighten and thicken. (If you beat too long it sets up too fast to do the whole cake) Ice bottom and sides. Beat the other 1/2 and ice the top. If icing thickens too much, add a little milk and beat again.

This one's a little work, but well worth it!!