In Fudge 101wecovered a brief introduction of what is fudge, the ingredients of fudge, and the technique of making fudge. Fudge 102 is aimed at the newbie who is going to try their hand at making fudge. Now it’s getting exciting.
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
Tips for the fudge newb:
Check the weather. If it’s humid don’t make fudge today.
You don’tneeda candy thermometer, but the ball stage is difficult for a newb to judge correctly, and the window of time between under-cooked and over-cooked is razor-thin. Save yourself the tears and get a good, digital candy thermometer. I havethis Taylor thermometerwhich is available onAmazon.comfor $22., I picked mine up at the St. Lawrence Market and also use it for tempering chocolate.
Get everything ready before you turn on the stove. Line your pan with foil and grease it. Completely grease the pot you’ll cook the sugar in, right up to the edge. Grease the wooden spoon or beater blade.
Have a jug of cold water in the fridge, and a larger pan set on the counter to be the water bath.
Read your recipe thoroughly, make sure you understand when to stir and when not to. Understand at what point you add any extras like nuts or fruit (typically right before it’s ready to be poured into the pan).
Beware the recipe that tells you to chill the fudge to ensure it sets. Proper fudge will set after sitting at room temperature for about 4 hours.
Understand that cooking the fudge properly is the skirmish before the war. The real test of your mettle will occur when you beat the fudge, and learn to master the fine art of turning and pouring. And if it doesn’t work out it’s okay! Don’t give up.
What works for one person…
- some recipes insist on cream, others use milk
- some add the butter at the beginning, others add it when the vanilla is added
- some people use a wet pastry brush to wipe away sugar crystals
- some people only beat by hand, others use a hand mixer or stand mixer
Personally, I use 2% milk, becauseevery timeI made fudge with cream it failed. I add the butter at the beginning, and beat it using my KitchenAid. My fudge never turned out until I started using a water bath, and I am still mastering when to stop beating it.
Equipment:
- digital candy thermometer, remember to calibrate it
- heavy-bottom sauce pot, ideally with straight sides so you can clip thermometer onto it
- sturdy wooden spoons (avoid metal which conducts the insane heat right into your skin)
- hand mixer or stand mixer (unless you’re a masoch*st and you actually want to beat fudge by hand, in which case have at it)
- 8″ square pan + one bigger pan to serve asthe cold water bath
- tin foil
OK! I’m ready to get fudging!
Just one more thing! I talked earlier about when the thermometer hits “soft ball” (235°F to 240°F, or 112.78°C to 115.55°C) you should remove the pot from the heat immediately and place it in a cold water bath.
Not all fudge-makers use a cold bath, but I recommend it for this reason: supersaturated sugar is so hot, it continues to cook after you remove it from the heat (like taking something out of the microwave, it keeps getting hotter). If you are removing the fudge from the stove at the top of the soft ball range, which is no higher than240°F or 116°C , your fudge willcook itselfright past the optimum temperature and no wonder it’s not going to set.
Once it starts creeping up to the ideal range, I watch it like a hawk, and as soon as it’saboutto hit soft ball (it’s one or two tenths of a degree away), I take it off the stove and set it in the water bath pan. As soon as the temperature peaks I add the cold water so that way it can’t get past soft ball. Thetemperature will begin to drop and now you can’t exceed the soft ball stage. Make sense?
Let the pot sit undisturbed between 30-60 minutes, until temperature drops to 100°F or 37.77°C. Some people say you don’t need to go this low, but I’ve started aiming for this temperature after reading how cooler sugar crystals stay smaller (to avoid grainy fudge).
Then, andonly then, are you ready for the final confrontation.
FAQs
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.
What happens if you beat fudge too soon? ›
This fudge was beaten immediately after cooking, while it was still very hot. Its crystals are so big that it has practically reverted back to a sugar state! What happened? Beating the syrup caused the formation of crystallization nuclei, anchor points to which sugar molecules attach to form crystals.
Can you beat fudge in a stand mixer? ›
Pour the mixture over the chocolate, being sure to shake, not scrape, the mixture from the pot. Set aside to cool for 10 to 12 minutes. (This prevents a grainy consistency.) Using the clean wooden spoon or a standing mixer on low speed, stir or beat the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated.
Why won't my 3 ingredient condensed milk fudge set? ›
Why is my fudge not hardening? Typically this happens when the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk do not cook long enough in the microwave. If those two ingredients are not entirely melted, the fudge will not set up correctly while chilling in the fridge.
What to do with failed fudge? ›
My advice to you is to just pour it in a jar, call it something else delicious, and pretend you meant for it to be that way. The nice thing about my “failed” fudge is that it tastes absolutely delicious! A spoonful of the delectable treat will make you want for more.
How to fix fudge that didn't set? ›
To fix it, you can reheat the fudge mixture over low heat and continue cooking until it reaches the proper temperature. Be sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Alternatively, you can try to salvage chewy fudge by mixing it into ice cream or using it as a topping for desserts.
How long should fudge cool before beating? ›
Allow the fudge mixture to rest until the temperature registers between 150°-160°. Once the desired temperature is reached, beat the ever-loving stuffing out of the fudge. Two to three minutes of hardcore mixing (by hand).
How long does it take fudge to reach 234 degrees? ›
Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, without stirring, until the thermometer registers 234 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes. The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. While the fudge is cooking, prepare the baking pan.
Why shouldn't you stir fudge after it reaches the correct temperature? ›
Without stirring or agitating the pot, allow the fudge to cool to 130°F (54°C)—or even lower! Harold McGee says that “candy texture is affected by the syrup temperature at which crystallization begins,” and this is the temperature where the seeds can form correctly.
Why does fudge fail? ›
Homemade Fudge Doesn't Always Set
If your fudge doesn't firm up after a few hours, you either have too high an amount of liquid to sugar, or your mixture hasn't reached the soft-ball stage. Using a candy thermometer can help home cooks avoid this problem.
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.
Why did my fudge turn out like taffy? ›
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).
What temperature is the soft ball stage for fudge? ›
If the candy forms a soft pliable ball, it is in the softball stage, about 235°— 240°F. This is the stage you would cook to if you are making fudge. If the candy forms a firm but not hard ball, it is in the firm ball stage. The temperature of this stage is between 242—248°F.
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.
How do you know when fudge is at the soft-ball stage? ›
Soft-Ball Stage
At this temperature, sugar syrup dropped into cold water will form a soft, flexible ball. If you remove the ball from water, it will flatten like a pancake after a few moments in your hand.
Can I fix fudge that didn't set? ›
OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).
Should fudge be soft or crumbly? ›
Both smooth fudge and crumbly fudge are popular treats and the choice between them comes down to personal preference. Some people enjoy the melt-in-your mouth creaminess of smooth fudge, whilst others prefer the crumbly, textured experience of crumbly fudge.
