Caramel Fudge Cutouts

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 caramels, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped skinned hazelnuts or pecans
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Line a 9" square pan with aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend over edges of pan. Butter foil, and set aside.
2. Butter insides of a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Combine sugar and cocoa in saucepan, stirring well. Stir in milk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring gently and constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves (6 to 8 minutes). Add 1/4 cup butter, stirring until butter melts. Cover and boil 3 minutes over medium heat.
3. Uncover and cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238u0b0 (about 14 minutes). Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, chopped caramels, nuts, and vanilla. Do not stir. Let mixture cool to 130u0b0 (about 25 minutes).
4. Beat fudge by hand with a wooden spoon until it thickens and begins to lose its gloss (10 minutes). Quickly spread fudge into prepared pan; let cool (about 3 hours). Lift uncut fudge out of pan with foil; discard foil, and place fudge on a cutting board. Cut desired shapes, using 2" cookie cutters, or cut fudge into 1 1/2" squares.

sugar, cocoa, milk, light corn syrup, butter, caramels, pecans, vanilla

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/caramel-fudge-cutouts (may not work)