OLD FASHIONED PENUCHE

Steps:

• 1. Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan.
• 2. Stir over med. heat to dissolve sugar.
• 3. Cook to 234° or until a little dropped in cold water forms a soft ball. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. PEGGI'S NOTE: This only took about 5 minutes to reach the soft ball stage for me,once it started to boil, which is 250° on my candy thermometer. I tested it at 234° & it still would not form a ball until 250°.
• 4. Add... butter.
• 5. Let stand without stirring until bottom of pan is lukewarm (120°). PEGGI'S NOTE: This took about an hour to cool to 120°. If forming into nut roll, add vanilla now & continue to cool until all the way cool & pliable enough to knead. This took me 2 hours of cooling total to form into somewhat of a log. Then I wraped in wax paper & froze for 30 minutes. Then rolled in nuts.
• 6. ADD...vanilla.
• 7. Beat until creamy.
• 8. Mix in ...1/2 cup chopped nuts. *Toast pecans or walnuts in 250° oven for 1 hour first.
• 9. Pour into greased 8 or 9" square pan. Cut into squares.
• 10. This is another way to prepare this as suggested in an old cook book. EASY NUT ROLL: Turn out cooled fudge onto buttered waxed paper. Knead or fold over several times. Shape into 12" roll. Place on waxed paper covered with cut-up nuts. Roll up in the paper. Chill. Slice.