3 cups white sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

(Butter 8 or 9 inch square pan)

In heavy 4 quart sauce pan combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. stir in milk and cook over medium heat. stir constantly until mixture comes to boil. (full rolling boil)

Then DO NOT STIR! use candy thermometor (or to soft ball stage) until surup is 234*F (soft ball is when surup is droped into a cup of cold water and you can form a soft ball with it and it flatens when removed from the water.)

Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla but still DO NOT STIR.

Cool to room temperature 110* then beat with wooden spoon until fudge thickens and loses some of its gloss.

Quickly spread in pan, cool , and cut into squares. if needed, you can butter your spoon or hands to help spread it out if it is getting to hard.

NOTE: It is when fudge is stirred while cooking that it will "sugar up" that is why it is important to not stir until cooling.

(recipie by cheryl firth, from the Hershey cocoa can)