How To Fix Grainy And Overcooked Fudge So It's Soft Again (2025)
Brian Udall
·2 min read
It's the holiday season, and you've made a batch of fudgefor friends and family, but you've just had a bite, and the texture is off. It tastes fine, except there's a graininess or a grittiness to the fudge that's unpleasant. Or, maybe the fudge is hard, brittle, and overcooked. The grittiness comes from sugar crystals that didn't dissolve into the fudge during the cooking process. Hard and overcooked fudge isn't great, either, but before you throw the whole pan out, try this simple trick.
For both problems, you'll need to melt the fudge back down to allow the sugar crystals to properly dissolve or to allow the overcooked fudge to soften up again. It may seem counterintuitive to cook overcooked fudge even more, but trust us, you just need to start the fudge over from scratch. Of course, if the fudge is burnt, that's a different problem, and cooking it again won't remove the burnt flavor. Grab the saucepan that you initially used to cook the fudge and toss the fudge back in along with 1 ½ cups of water and a splash of cream. Adding some cream of tartar is a helpful way to keep the sugar crystals at bay as well — it's not essential, but if you have some, definitely pour a little in. Bring the fudge to a boil slowly. You want the sugar to dissolve before it boils, so make sure the fudge is smooth before turning the heat up.
A great way to make sure your fudge is going to settle right is by using a candy thermometer. When bringing your fudge to a boil, check that the temperature reaches the ideal range of 237 to 239 F. That range will get you a pan of fudge that's in the Goldilocks zone of not too soft and not too hard. It will also help keep your fudge from becoming gritty since sugar crystals can form again if the fudge gets too hot. Overcooked fudge, which goes beyond 239 F, evaporates the water, which isn't what you want.
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It also matters how you treat the fudge after it's cooked. Avoid too much stirring while you are heating the fudge since this agitates the sugar and causes it to clump into sugar crystals again. Once it's reached 237 F, allow the fudge to cool to 110 F, and don't stir the fudge at all while it's cooling. Less is more in this case. Other than these tips, treat the fudge like you normally would, and you'll have breathed new life into your winter treat.
You have one option to make it soft, which is you have to put the fudge pieces in a plastic bag along with the paper towel or a bread slice.Secure the bag and leave it overnight, next day you will get a softened fudge.
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.
The solution? A fudge do-over. Even though it set up properly, I threw it back into a saucepan with about 1 1/2 cups of water and gently heated the mixture to dissolve the fudge into the water. From there, I pretty much re-did the whole cooking process.
To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.
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).
Pour the fudge back into your pan, and add about a cup of water to it, along with a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk, whipping cream, or whatever cream you're using. Some people skip the water and just add cream to the mixture to reheat.
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.
Harden the fudge: Place your container or tins in the fridge for 2 hours, which is the time it takes for the fudge to set. Once it's hardened, cut the fudge into 12 pieces or remove it from the muffin tins. Store in the fridge or the freezer (if you don't devour it right away).
Storing fudge in an airtight container is your best bet. Cut the fudge, and then store it in separate layers with waxed paper in between. If you intend to enjoy your fudge relatively quickly, it's best stored at room temperature short-term. If you plan to keep your fudge for longer, the freezer will be your best bet.
Chewy fudge results from the excessive moisture present in the mixture, which means the fudge was not cooked to the right temperature and could not be cooked enough to release the moisture. However, take care not to overcook fudge because it will take away the moisture and leave you with hard, chewy candy.
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.
Brush the sides of the pan with a wet brush at the beginning of cooking to dissolve sugar crystals stuck to the sides. Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again.
If you don't heat your fudge to a high enough temperature, you'll end up with a soft product. And if you heat the mixture too much, your fudge may be harder than you'd like.
Fudge is best stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks wrapped up in its original wax paper. NEVER REFRIGERATE your fudge as this will draw out the moisture and leave you with dry, crumbly fudge.
If you have oodles of willpower and want to save your fudge for later, it freezes well. Wrap each slice (or the whole box) in foil or plastic wrap to seal it. You don't even have to defrost it – your fudge tastes just as scrumptious frozen and cuts easily with a knife, or better still, grate directly onto ice-cream.
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