I want to make fudge and candy to give as gifts this year. Do any you have favorite goodies. Pls help !!!

[chowmama]

22. Toffee is always good

This is the kind that's like the center of a Heath bar. Not soft or flexible. It's essentially fried sugar.

Equal parts butter and sugar, usually 1 cup each. Put in a heavy metal saucepan that's light enough to judge the color of the mixture. (Most non-stick fail this test.) Have a buttered pan ready to receive the hot mixture at the end - an 8x8 or 9x9 metal pan is good for the 1 cup version, but shape isn't essential. You're going to break it up anyway. I've never had the nerve to pour it into an oven-glass pan, but it would probably work.

Heat the butter and sugar over medium heat until it's a little darker than peanut butter. Don't let it burn - stir, swirl and/or remove from heat as needed. Make sure no children or pets are in the vicinity because this stuff is a candy version of napalm.

When the color is reached, pour it into the prepared pan, let it cool and break it up.

You can vary it a little by adding very finely chopped nuts and/or a tiny bit of vanilla (carefully). I've sometimes tried to coat it with chocolate once cool, but I can never get the chocolate to stick. Maybe I'll try using vanilla sugar - I've got some old stuff around.

As long as nobody gets hurt, this is really good.