Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
2/3 dark unsweetened cocoa, I like Hershey's Cocoa Powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil.
Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan.
Stir in whole milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.
Boil without stirring until mixture reaches 234 degrees on a candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball.
Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Do Not Stir. Cool at room temperature to 110 degrees.
Stir in pecans.
Beat with a wooden spoon until fudge thickens and just begins to loose some of its gloss.
Quickly spread into prepared pan.
Cool completely.
Cut into square.
Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.