Note: be sure this bowl is large enough to hold the remaining ingredients, which will be added later. After making your creamy delicious fudge you are going to want to make sure that you store it properly. Before storing be sure the fudge has cooled completely at room temperature. Do not cover the fudge while it is cooling.
See the information below for proper storage. My Recipe Box. Join Now Sign In. How to Make Fudge. How To's. Kitchen Advice. Canning Vegetables and Fruits. Cobblers, Crisps, Crumbles, and More. Easter Candy Recipes. How to Make Homemade Ice Cream. How to Make Pumpkin Pie. Pie Crusts. Read Reviews 2. Provided By RecipeTips. Reviewed By devans40 "I can't thank you enough for this post, last year I tried to make fudge and I Equipment for Making Fudge The pieces of equipment shown below are items that will aide in the success of making fudge.
Heavy Saucepan Select a heavy bottom saucepan with straight sides. Heat-Proof Bowl Be sure to use a heat proof bowl to hold the ingredients to which the boiling sugar syrup will be added. Wooden Spoon A wooden spoon works well when stirring the boiling sugar mixture.
Candy Thermometer A candy thermometer is used to verify that the sugar mixture is boiled to the proper temperature. Foil Lined Pan Prepare a pan for pouring the fudge in when it is done. Tips for Successful Fudge Making Experience may be one of the best tools for fudge making. Use good quality butter when making fudge. Do not substitute margarine because it contains more water and can prevent the fudge from setting up properly.
Also, be sure to follow the recipe closely as to the quantity of butter that is called for because too much butter can also cause a problem with the fudge getting firm enough. Look for recipes containing marshmallows, marshmallow creme, or corn syrup. These ingredients will help prevent the sugar from crystallizing and causing grainy textured fudge.
Be prepared before you begin. Measure all ingredients out and get out all the equipment and utensils you will need. You need to be attentive to what you are doing during every step and be able to react when necessary. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the sugar mixture as it is boiling. Boiling the sugar mixture to the proper temperature is important in achieving the right water content, which will affect the firmness of the fudge.
Test your thermometer for accuracy before using. See How to Test a Candy Thermometer. If you do not have a candy thermometer, the best method to use to determine that the sugar mixture is at the proper temperature is the cold water test to determine when it is at the soft-ball stage. See below for instructions on how to test for the soft-ball stage.
Drop a little of the boiling syrup into a glass of cold water. Remove a few of the drops of syrup and rub between your thumb and forefinger. If it forms a small ball that can be easily flattened between your fingers, it is at the soft-ball stage and should be removed from the heat. If the drops dissolve or just form threads between your fingers, the sugar syrup has not reached a soft-ball stage and needs additional boiling.
If the drops form a firm ball that resists flattening or hard ball, the syrup has boiled too long. For more information on testing the different stages of sugar, see How to Test Stages of Sugar Cooking. Place your flavoring ingredients into a separate bowl and pour the sugar syrup into these ingredients. Do not scrape the sides of the pan or you may be scraping the sugar crystals into the flavor ingredients, which would cause the fudge to crystallize.
There are many additional ingredients that can be added to provide different flavors to the fudge but it does not have to have anything else added to be good. See the tips below on added additional ingredients. If you are going to experiment with the addition of other ingredients, be sure to keep in mind that you have to be careful of the water content of the ingredient you are trying.
If it is going to add water or moisture to your fudge, do not use it. You can add a combination of ingredients but be careful that they compliment each other and that you will not be taking away from the flavor of the fudge itself. When transferring the finished fudge to the foil lined baking pan, do not scrape the sides or bottom of the pan as you are pouring it in. This will help prevent getting any sugar crystals that may have formed along the sides or bottom from getting into the fudge.
When the fudge is done, allow it to slowly cool down. Cooling it too fast may cause the sugar to crystallize, causing the fudge to be grainy. Follow the recipe closely. Add ingredients in the order stated and follow all directions carefully. Fudge Flavoring There are other flavors besides chocolate that can be used for fudge but chocolate is the most common flavor used.
Flavor Ingredient How to Use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips are considered a medium chocolate and are probably the most common flavoring agents used for making fudge. They are the base for other levels of chocolate. Milk Chocolate Chips - Use half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips to create milk chocolate fudge. Other ingredients do not need to be adjusted. Unsweetened Chocolate - For a richer dark chocolate, add 2 oz. Do not reduce the quantity of semi-sweet chocolate chips and the other ingredients do not need to be adjusted.
Vanilla Chips - Substitute vanilla white chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce vanilla flavored fudge. When substituting the white chips, also reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons. Peanut Butter Chips - Substitute peanut butter chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce a peanut butter flavored fudge.
When substituting the peanut butter chips, also reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons. Butterscotch Chips - Substitute butterscotch chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce butterscotch flavored fudge. If the crystals stay small, the result is a smooth fudge. But if larger crystals form, the fudge will be grainy.
Because large crystals can form at any time during fudge making, you need to be vigilant. Against the grain: secrets to smooth fudge Use corn syrup and butter Both interfere with sugar crystallization, so adding them to the fudge prevents the crystals from growing too large. Butter should be added only after the boiling is done. If added before boiling, it coats the crystals and keeps them from dissolving, resulting in grainy fudge.
To prevent this, cover the pot with a lid for two minutes after it starts boiling—the steam will wash the crystals down the sides. Fudge boiled below this temperature is too soft to hold its shape, and fudge boiled above this point becomes too firm. If the crystals form too early, they continue to grow and become too large. It will be glossy and dark brown. If the fudge is too cool it will set up and be difficult to beat. Know when to stop beating Beat the fudge vigorously to form many small crystals and create a smooth texture; stop beating when it turns a lighter brown and becomes more opaque, and when the ripples made by the beaters hold their shape long enough to briefly expose the bottom of the pan.
Already a subscriber? Log in. Get the print magazine, 25 years of back issues online, over 7, recipes, and more. Start your FREE trial. Fine Cooking. Sign Up Login. How-To How to Make Chocolate Fudge Learn how to make the smoothest, creamiest chocolate fudge ever—plus four flavor variations for everyone on your gift list.
Photos: Scott Phillips. To work around this issue and dissolve all crystal traces, brush the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in water at the beginning of the cooking process. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge.
This stage will determine the size of the sugar crystals. The sugar should ideally form small crystals that are barely discernable on the tongue. To achieve this, let the mixture cool for fifteen minutes before beating it. The result: crystals that form stay small. The fudge is warm, but not burning hot. 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. Another tip: do not scrape the sides of the pan or the spoon used for stirring. They are often covered with a grainier layer of fudge. For Christina Blais, explaining food chemistry to the masses is as simple as making a good omelet.
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