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We tried the famous fudge recipe engraved on a late grandmother's gravestone

Kay wanted the recipe engraved on her gravestone as a final way of sharing the treat with others.
/ Source: TODAY

It's a super sweet way for the family of Kathryn Andrews — who went by "Kay" — to remember her: Before she died in 2019, Kay requested her go-to fudge recipe be engraved on her gravestone.

Kay's daughter, Janice Johnson, recently shared the story behind the unique gravestone with KSTU, explaining her mom was a prayerful woman who cared deeply for others. Kay, a mother of five children, would often write poems and deliver fudge to friends and family as a way of offering them encouragement.

A headstone displays a recipe for Kay's Fudge in the Logan Cemetery, on May 25, 2021, in Logan, Utah.
A headstone displays a recipe for Kay's Fudge in the Logan Cemetery, on May 25, 2021, in Logan, Utah.Todd Tanner / AP

When Kay died in 2019 at age 97, she was buried beside her husband, Wade, who passed away in 2000. The couple met while she was in New York City studying fashion design and were engaged when he, an Air Force captain, returned from a deployment to Germany. They married just 18 days later and built a life together in Utah — a life that included Kay's delicious fudge and a passion for serving those in need.

Johnson explained that her mom wanted the recipe engraved on her gravestone as a final way of sharing the treat with others. She also said she's seen people from around the world make and share Kay's Fudge recipe on the internet, something she knows her mom would love.

But the original recipe on Kay's gravestone had an error: Instead of one teaspoon of vanilla, the stone called for a tablespoon, something Johnson said could result in "runny fudge." The gravestone was recently updated to include the correct amount.

The simple ingredients in Kay's Fudge: butter, chocolate, sugar, milk, salt and vanilla.
The simple ingredients in Kay's Fudge: butter, chocolate, sugar, milk, salt and vanilla.Terri Peters

Here's the full recipe for Kay's Fudge:

2 SQ. CHOCOLATE

2 TBS. BUTTER

MELT ON LOW HEAT

STIR IN 1 CUP MILK

BRING TO BOIL

3 CUPS SUGAR

1 TSP. VANILLA

PINCH OF SALT

COOK TO SOFTBALL STAGE

POUR ON MARBLE SLAB

COOL & BEAT & EAT

I tried making Kay's Fudge recipe and learned a lot. While the ingredients seemed simple enough, the recipe instructions, which talk about things like cooking the fudge mixture "to softball stage" and pouring it onto a marble slab, were a bit overwhelming for this non-candymaker.

Thanks to some research, I learned a way to test fudge for doneness is to drop a spoonful into a glass of cold water. When the chocolate liquid forms a malleable ball upon being dropped into the water, it's ready.

As far as the marble slab, I tried dumping some of the fudge on my granite counter top but found that to be quite messy. Instead, I poured the remaining mixture onto a parchment paper-lined pan and allowed it to set.

My attempt at Kay's Fudge, right before pouring.
My attempt at Kay's Fudge, right before pouring.Terri Peters

Once it's cooled, Kay's Fudge is delicious: chocolaty, sweet and slightly buttery.

In hindsight, in my nervousness about overcooking the fudge, I moved too quickly through the cooking phase, which made my version a bit gooey and hard to cut into bite-sized pieces.

Even so, if I were having a bad day, a poem from Kay and some fudge would for sure lighten my mood.

At TODAY Food, we know that food is one of the best ways to connect with others and show them love, and Kay's parting wish to share her fudge recipe with the world forever is no better example of the power of a sweet treat.