
Before you begin cooking butter the dish that you will be pouring out your fudge onto to cool. (don't use the stick of butter you are using in the recipe)
In a medium pot mix together sugar and cocoa and then add in canned cream. Stir until it is all mixed well.
Insert your candy thermometer making sure that it's not touching the bottom of your pot so you get an accurate reading
Add in your stick of butter and begin cooking the mixture on medium heat
As the mixture is cooking stir it occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the candy thermometer reaches soft ball reading.
Remove the candy from the stove and add in the vanilla and pecans and stir until the fudge begins to thicken
Pour out into your buttered dish and allow it to cool completely before cutting it into pieces
MawMaw always taught me to test the fudge to be sure that it's at the soft ball stage. Put a small cup or bowl of cold water next to your pot and when the thermometer reaches the soft ball reading, use a spoon to drop a small amount of fudge into the water. If you can pick up the fudge and it sticks together enough to roll into a ball then it's ready.