WHO CAN RESIST MELT-IN-THE MOUTH FUDGE? SWEET AND CREAMY, THIS POPULAR CANDY IS A WONDERFUL RAINY DAY RECIPE AND MAKES AN ADORABLE GIFT. HERE ARE OUR TOP TIPS FOR WHIPPING UP DELICIOUS FUDGE IN NO TIME!
When putting together recipes forHome Sweet Home, we thought it was about time to try out something a little bit different and added sweet candies like fudge, marshmallows and brittle to our collection.
Making your own sweets is a great opportunity to get more familiar with sugar work and if you get more confident you’ll be well on your way to making a whole array of sweet goodies.
Beautifully wrapped homemade fudge (if you can bear to give any away!) is always well received and lots of fun to make yourself. It also keeps well if stored in an airtight container in a cool dry place, certainly longer than cakes or cookies.
Fudge is often seen as tricky to make, but it is easy once you understand how sugar reacts when heated to certain temperatures.
In the past, home bakers would often learn to make sweets like fudge by watching older generations in the kitchen – this experience is particularly important with sugar recipes as cooking with sugar requires a good deal of observation. For this reason, we insist on an accurate sugar thermometer when cooking with sugar to keep an eye on the temperature.
There are several stages to cooking fudge and it is important to watch the pan closely and to increase or reduce the heat as necessary to avoid spoiling the sugar mixture.
Once sugar has been overheated it is very difficult to get the previous consistency back. Here are our troubleshooting tips on how to get the perfect fudge:
Grainy fudge?
Fudge should be smooth and creamy but it can turn grainy. This is due to the formation of sugar crystals.
To avoid this, make sure you don’t stir the sugar mixture as it comes up to temperature and refrain from stirring as it cools back down after the butter is added. Also, make sure it doesn't get too hot, too fast.
Gloopy fudge?
If the fudge gets starts to get gloopy at the bottom of the pan but the top of the sugar mixture stays runnier, it is heating much too quickly on the underside of the pan and the temperature is too high.
If it gets too thick or burns, it’s hard to rescue, so we recommend starting again. Sugar work is very technical and takes practise, so keep trying and you’ll have irresistible fudge in no time!
Hard fudge?
It could be that your fudge is overcooked and this causes the sugar to harden.
A sugar thermometer will help you to check it reaches the correct temperature which is the soft ball stage at 112 to 116 °C (234 to 241 °F). If it exceeds this, it is heading for a much chewier consistency.
Soft fudge?
It is possible your sugar mixture didn’t heat to a high enough temperature to get to soft ball stage (the stage at which the sugar forms a soft, easily pressed ball when a small amount is dropped into cool water).
Use a sugar thermometer to check and reheat until it reaches soft ball stage, which is 112 to 116 °C (234 to 241 °F).
For more baking advice and frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ pageshere.
FAQs
The key to creamy, luscious fudge is controlling crystal formation. If the sucrose (table sugar) crystals are small, the fudge will feel creamy and smooth on your tongue. But if the crystals are large, the fudge develops a crumbly, dry, or even coarse texture.
Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›
Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start. Everything must be completely melted before it is transferred to the pan to cool.
What is the softball test for fudge? ›
According to most recipes, the ingredients of fudge are cooked to what is termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers.
How do you know when fudge is beaten enough? ›
After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould.
Should you stir fudge while it's cooking? ›
Don't stir!
Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage on the candy thermometer, remove from the heat and let the temperature drop to 110°F. Keep that spoon or spatula out of the pot until this happens. If you stir too early in the process, you'll make the sugar crystals too big and end up with grainy fudge.
What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›
Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.
How to make fudge more solid? ›
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.
Why is my homemade fudge too hard? ›
It could be that your fudge is overcooked and this causes the sugar to harden. A sugar thermometer will help you to check it reaches the correct temperature which is the soft ball stage at 112 to 116 °C (234 to 241 °F). If it exceeds this, it is heading for a much chewier consistency.
What is the best temperature to cook fudge? ›
Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F). The cooking is intended to evaporate a part of the liquid and concentrate the sugar.
How long does it take to make fudge:
- 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.
Use a small bowl, cold water and a spoon to determine whether the fudge has arrived at the soft ball stage. Spoon some of the hot syrup into the cold water. The fudge is ready when you can form drops into a ball in water, but the ball will flatten when removed from the water.
What happens if you boil fudge too long? ›
The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.
What to do with failed fudge? ›
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.
What is the best pan to make fudge in? ›
Saucepan: Choose a heavy, straight-sided metal saucepan that holds about twice the volume of your fudge recipe.
Why hasn't my fudge set properly? ›
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.
What ingredient makes fudge hard? ›
Too cooked
At this temperature, the sugar is too concentrated and there is not enough water left to form syrup around sugar crystals. The result is hard and brittle fudge. To save the fudge, put it in a saucepan with 45 to 60 ml (3 or 4 tbsp.)
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!
