7 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Candy Shop-Worthy Fudge and Caramels (2024)

We won't beat around the bush: Homemade candies and fudge are intimidating. From a bubbling pot of screaming-hot sugar to mysterious phrase like "soft ball stage" to that, uh, bubbling pot of screaming-hot sugar, there's a lot to give any home cook pause. Here's the good news: By avoiding a few simple common mistakes, DIY candies are actually easy to make. From this moment henceforth, you shall be known as the Candyman. Or Candywoman. Whatever; let's make some candy.

1. Using the Wrong Pan

All candy and confections start by melting sugar. You'll need a heavy-bottomed saucepan with tall sides—no excuses or substitutions. Thin and flimsy aluminum isn't the best conductor of heat; it will cause portions of the sugar to burn before it's all entirely melted.

2. Stirring the Sugar

If you've ever had grainy fudge, you tasted the effects of crystallization. "Crystallization is the enemy of candies, fudge, and confections," says Claire Saffitz, senior associate food editor. Luckily, avoiding crystallization is as easy as not stirring the sugar as it melts. Instead, swirl the pot and use a wet pastry brush to wipe down the sides periodically (sugar will inevitably stick to the edges of the pot). Swirling the pot also helps distribute the heat, adjusting for any hot spots.

Chocolate Fudge. Bourbon Sugar. Yes, you want this. Photo: Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

3. Not Using a Candy Thermometer

Sorry, you absolutely cannot eyeball this one. It's imperative you get the temperature exactly right, because how firm or pliable the candy becomes as it cools is dependent on how hot it gets in the pot. If a recipe calls for cooking the sugar until 238˚, that means 238˚ exactly. You can't, uh, fudge it. The soft ball stage, which occurs from 234-240˚, is sticky and pliable; it's used for caramel and fudge. Firm ball occurs at 242-248˚; it's used in marshmallow, meringue, and gummy candies. Hard ball is 250-266˚ and best for nougat and toffee. This complete guide to cooked sugar stages is a very handy tool to have on hand.

4. Leaving Out the Parchment Paper Lining

Candies and caramels are sticky business. In fact, one of home cooks' biggest fears in making them is that they'll adhere to the pan, becoming impossible to pry out. Make the task easier by lining the pan with parchment paper. The paper should be long enough that the edges hang over the sides. Once the candies have set, all you have to do is grip the paper and lift it up and out.

5. Skipping the Cooking Spray

"PAM everything!" says Saffitz. "When I make candies, I coat the pan, the parchment, the bowl, even the spatula with a little bit of cooking spray." This is one of the tackiest cooking tasks you can tackle, so set yourself up for success and get a little preemptively slippery.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Candy Shop-Worthy Fudge and Caramels (2024)

FAQs

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Candy Shop-Worthy Fudge and Caramels? ›

Fudge usually behaves this way when it's not cooked to a high enough temperature (due to oversight or a faulty candy thermometer). If your fudge is tough, hard, or grainy, then you may have made one of several mistakes: You may have overcooked it, beaten it too long, or neglected to cool it to the proper temperature.

What to not do when making fudge? ›

Valuable tips for successful fudge
  1. Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
  2. Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
  3. Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
  4. Beat the mixture.

What can go wrong when making fudge? ›

Fudge usually behaves this way when it's not cooked to a high enough temperature (due to oversight or a faulty candy thermometer). If your fudge is tough, hard, or grainy, then you may have made one of several mistakes: You may have overcooked it, beaten it too long, or neglected to cool it to the proper temperature.

Why did my fudge turn out chewy? ›

If the temperature is too low, the fudge will be too soft and sticky, and if it's too high, it will turn into a hard, crumbly mess. The ideal temperature to cook fudge is between 232-234 degrees F (111-112 degrees C).

When should you not make fudge? ›

Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible. If waiting for a less humid day isn't feasible, you'll need to boil your fudge at a slightly higher temperature than usual — or just order some delicious fudge from Wockenfuss!

How to make fudge creamy and not grainy? ›

Grainy Fudge

To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon. You can use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot.

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

Can I reboil fudge that didn'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.

Should you stir fudge while it's boiling? ›

You should mix the cream, butter, and sugar when making your fudge, but put down the spoon once it has reached its boiling point. Stirring while your sugar mixture is boiling will only form sugar crystals and make your fudge crunchy rather than silky smooth.

What temperature do you cook fudge at? ›

There you have it – the two secrets to perfect fudge are now available to you! Fly you little perfect fudge maker, fly free! Here are the specifics: As soon as the temperature reaches 232°, remove from the flame & add butter and vanilla. Allow the fudge mixture to rest until the temperature registers between 150°-160°.

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›

How long does it take to make fudge:
  1. about 18 min to reach boiling.
  2. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
  3. 60 minutes to cool.
  4. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
  5. 4 hours to set.

Why won't my 3 ingredient condensed milk 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. Heat in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring well between each to ensure everything is melting evenly.

What should fudge look like after beating? ›

The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.

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