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How to Make Fudge
This rich traditional fudge gets its deep chocolate taste from unsweetened chocolate and its milky sweetness from condensed milk. For the recipe, see Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge.
Fudge is delightful to enjoy at home or take to a party. It also makes a delicious gift from the kitchen your recipients will love.
Assemble your ingredients and equipment. This includes a nine-inch by nine-inch pan covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, a large saucepan, and acandy thermometer.
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Combine Sugar and Water in Saucepan
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and the water over medium-high heat. Stir while the mixture heats to dissolve the sugar.
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Bring Sugar Syrup to a Boil
Continue to cook the sugar and water and bring it to a full boil. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute.
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Add Condensed Milk
Once the mixture has been boiling for one minute, add the condensed milk and stir until it is fully incorporated.
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Cook Fudge to 235 Degrees
After the condensed milk is added and incorporated, insert a candy thermometer and cook the mixture to 235 F, stirring frequently so that the candy on the bottom of the pan does not scorch.
Using a wet pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan occasionally to prevent sugar crystals from forming and making your fudge unpleasantly grainy.
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Add Chocolate
Once the candy reaches 235 F, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 15 minutes. Do not stir it during this time or you will form sugar crystals and the fudge will be grainy!
After 15 minutes, add the grated chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate.
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Beat the Fudge
Using a wooden spoon, beat the fudge vigorously until it thickens and begins to lose its gloss. This may take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
While beating by hand is the traditional method, you can use an electric mixer if you have one. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and turn it on medium. Beat it just until it starts to thicken and lose its gloss. It is easy to overbeat fudge with a mixer, so watch it carefully and check it after every minute.
Once the fudge is the proper texture, add the nuts and stir quickly just until they are evenly distributed.
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Pour Fudge into Prepared Pan
Once the fudge has thickened and the nuts are added, pour the fudge into the prepared pan. Allow it to set at room temperature until firm, about three hours or overnight.
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Cut the Fudge
After the fudge is set, use a large chef's knife to cut it into small one-inch squares to serve.
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Serve and Store Finished Fudge
Store remaining fudge in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For the best taste and texture, bring the fudge to room temperature before serving.
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2_pot-56a0ebc55f9b58eba4b532db.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/3_boil-56a0ebc55f9b58eba4b532e2.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4_milk-56a0ebc53df78cafdaa66815.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (4)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/5_stir-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532ed.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (5)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/6_chocolate-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532f1.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (6)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/7_stir-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532f7.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (7)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/8_pour-56a0ebc63df78cafdaa66823.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (8)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/9_cut-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b53300.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (9)")
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FAQs
What is the secret to good fudge? ›
- Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
- Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
- Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
- Beat the mixture.
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.
How to make fudge creamy and not grainy? ›If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.
Who makes the world's best fudge? ›- Original Murdick's Fudge.
- Joann's Fudge.
- Ryba's Fudge Shops.
Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.
Do you stir fudge when it's boiling? ›Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer
Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.
How do you fix fudge that is too soft? Bring the fudge back to a boil with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of cream. If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.
Can you reboil fudge that hasn't set? ›How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.
How do you cut fudge so it doesn't crumble? ›If you have difficulty cutting or if the fudge crumbles with the cuts, try warming the metal knife (or wheel or whatever) in hot water between cuts. Wipe the hot knife dry before cutting. Whatever you use, always wipe the cutting implement clean between cuts.
What happens if you don't stir fudge? ›By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals. Stirring also introduces air, dust, and small dried bits from the walls of the saucepan—all potential seeds for crystal formation.
How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›
- about 18 min to reach boiling.
- about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
- 60 minutes to cool.
- 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
- 4 hours to set.
Options for what you can do with your unset fudge:
OPTION 1) Depending on how runny it is, you can either use it as a frosting for cakes, or a sauce for ice-cream. OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed.
Ingredients. Milk, cream, sugar, corn syrup, skim milk, high fructose corn syrup, whey, water, chocolate liquor, hydrogenated coconut oil, peanut oil, alkalized cocoa, mono and diglycerides, buttermilk, butter, natural flavors, soy lecithin, pectin, salt, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, annatto (color), vanilla.
What is the most popular flavor of fudge? ›After years of testing recipes, we're pretty sure we have a handle on the most popular fudge flavors, but chocolate and cherry will always rank high on the list.
Why is Mackinac Island Fudge so famous? ›As Mackinac Island evolved from a center of fur trade into a summer resort destination, Victorian-era vacationers began to identify the island with sweets. At first, the most common candy was maple sugar harvested by Native Americans. Other treats, including fudge, soon followed.
What is the key to successful non grainy fudge? ›The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.
What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!
How do you describe high quality fudge? ›High-quality fudge tastes smooth and creamy because it contains small sugar crystals. It has a deep brown color and a satiny sheen. Poor-quality fudge tastes grainy because it contains large sugar crystals.
What causes homemade fudge to be grainy? ›Grainy Fudge
The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon.