Maple Nut Fudge

Last night I made maple fudge in honor of Canada Day, which takes place every July 1. The holiday commemorates the establishment of the Canadian Confederation – the union of the provinces, colonies and territories of British North America on July 1, 1867. This marked the beginning of a new phase of Canadian independence which culminated in full sovereignty in 1982. It's important to note that Canada still recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State (as she is in Australia, New Zealand, and many Caribbean and South Pacific islands).

While the maple leaf first appeared on the Canadian flag in 1965, it was a Canadian symbol as early as 1700. In 1996 the maple tree, which grows naturally in all ten Canadian provinces, was declared the national tree of Canada.

Well before European colonization, Native Canadians discovered the culinary properties of maple sap which is used to produce maple syrup. The sap is harvested by drilling a hole into the xylem of a maple tree. A mature sugar or black maple will produce 40 liters of sap which will be distilled into one liter of syrup. Canada produces 80% of the world’s maple syrup – approximately 30 million liters in 2005.

Makes 16-24 pieces (about 2 pounds)

Ingredients
2 cups real maple syrup (from Canada, of course)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with foil, wax or parchment paper. Generously grease with butter.
2. In a large pan bring maple syrup, sugar and cream to a boil over medium heat.
3. Continue to boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer. The mixture will take a while to heat up, then will bubble vigorous for 20 or more minutes as water evaporates.
4. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Do not mix. Let mixture cool to 105 F.

5. Add walnuts and vanilla and beat until the mixture thickens and loses its gloss.
6. Pour fudge into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature. Cut into 16 or 24 pieces. Refrigerate overnight.

This fudge is soft and should be stored wrapped in wax paper, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it for up to four months – thaw by leaving it in the fridge overnight.