I wouldn't make it without a thermometer. They're not very expensive and it'll ruin your fudge if you're a few degrees out.
I'll post my recipe.
This is a large recipe, makes about 1.2kg (2.64lb) because I don't have a small pan to set it in! I use a brownie tin. It's fairly cheap to make too, costs about £1.20. It is very moreish but it has a lot of sugar so be careful!
Before making fudge rest your thermometer in your kettle and turn it on. Wait until the water is boiling and read the temperature. If it says 100 you know it's set right, if it says 102 then you need to add two onto the instructions. It is essential that you get the temperature right.
INGREDIENTS
700g caster sugar (you can mix sugars if you need to and add in some icing sugar)
200ml milk
200ml cream (I use double cream but I'm not sure if it matters, I also will sometimes mix how much milk/ cream I put in )
160g butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
Pour the milk and cream into a medium heavy-based saucepan (attach a sugar thermometer), and bring slowly to the boil. Add the sugar and butter.
While stirring continuously, heat slowly until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Bring to the boil, cover and boil for 2 minutes (during this time I clean the thermometer as it's usualy covered in milk/cream and hard to read by now and line the tin with foil)
Uncover and continue to boil steadily, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until the temperature reaches 116 °C.
You will notice flecks start to appear as it reaches temperature, this is fine, it doesn't mean that it's catching just that the sugar is starting to burn whcih you want. As it gets to temperature the fudge should have changed colour.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Beat the fudge until it just begins to lose its gloss and is thick.
Variations
I'm still working on different flavours but not been very successful, feel free to add your own flavours.
Cherry Bakewell
200g Glace Cherries
Amaretto
Ground Almonds
Flaked Almonds
Before you begin take the cherries out of the tub, cut into halves, put back into the tub and fill up with amaretto.
When you add the vanilla also add some of the Amaretto. I tried 10ml first time and it didn't flavour the fudge, however you need to be careful you don't add too much or it won't set. Stir in ground almonds and cherries.
When you transfer to tin sprinkle with chopped almonds and press them down.
Cherry Bakewell fudge for Isobel's teachers. Not sure I want to give it away!
Bailey's Fudge
There's two ways to do this.
Firstly use some Bailey's with the milk and cream, keeping the quantities still adding up to 400ml. At the end add Bailey's in instead of vanilla extract.
Secondly, use more cream than milk and add in whiskey at the end instead of vanilla extract.