01 of 10
How to Make Fudge
This rich traditional fudge gets its deep chocolate taste from unsweetened chocolate and its milky sweetness from condensed milk. For the recipe, see Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge.
Fudge is delightful to enjoy at home or take to a party. It also makes a delicious gift from the kitchen your recipients will love.
Assemble your ingredients and equipment. This includes a nine-inch by nine-inch pan covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, a large saucepan, and acandy thermometer.
Continue to 2 of 10 below
02 of 10
Combine Sugar and Water in Saucepan
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and the water over medium-high heat. Stir while the mixture heats to dissolve the sugar.
Continue to 3 of 10 below
03 of 10
Bring Sugar Syrup to a Boil
Continue to cook the sugar and water and bring it to a full boil. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute.
Continue to 4 of 10 below
04 of 10
Add Condensed Milk
Once the mixture has been boiling for one minute, add the condensed milk and stir until it is fully incorporated.
Continue to 5 of 10 below
05 of 10
Cook Fudge to 235 Degrees
After the condensed milk is added and incorporated, insert a candy thermometer and cook the mixture to 235 F, stirring frequently so that the candy on the bottom of the pan does not scorch.
Using a wet pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan occasionally to prevent sugar crystals from forming and making your fudge unpleasantly grainy.
Continue to 6 of 10 below
06 of 10
Add Chocolate
Once the candy reaches 235 F, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 15 minutes. Do not stir it during this time or you will form sugar crystals and the fudge will be grainy!
After 15 minutes, add the grated chocolate and stir to melt the chocolate.
Continue to 7 of 10 below
07 of 10
Beat the Fudge
Using a wooden spoon, beat the fudge vigorously until it thickens and begins to lose its gloss. This may take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
While beating by hand is the traditional method, you can use an electric mixer if you have one. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and turn it on medium. Beat it just until it starts to thicken and lose its gloss. It is easy to overbeat fudge with a mixer, so watch it carefully and check it after every minute.
Once the fudge is the proper texture, add the nuts and stir quickly just until they are evenly distributed.
Continue to 8 of 10 below
08 of 10
Pour Fudge into Prepared Pan
Once the fudge has thickened and the nuts are added, pour the fudge into the prepared pan. Allow it to set at room temperature until firm, about three hours or overnight.
Continue to 9 of 10 below
09 of 10
Cut the Fudge
After the fudge is set, use a large chef's knife to cut it into small one-inch squares to serve.
Continue to 10 of 10 below
10 of 10
Serve and Store Finished Fudge
Store remaining fudge in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For the best taste and texture, bring the fudge to room temperature before serving.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/old-fashioned-fudge-Susan-Marie-Andersson-Getty-Images-58ae04685f9b58a3c9138cc3.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (1)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2_pot-56a0ebc55f9b58eba4b532db.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/3_boil-56a0ebc55f9b58eba4b532e2.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4_milk-56a0ebc53df78cafdaa66815.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (4)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/5_stir-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532ed.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (5)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/6_chocolate-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532f1.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (6)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/7_stir-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b532f7.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (7)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/8_pour-56a0ebc63df78cafdaa66823.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (8)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/9_cut-56a0ebc65f9b58eba4b53300.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (9)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/10_finished-56a0ebbf5f9b58eba4b53253.jpg "See This 10-Step Photo Guide to Making Delicious Fudge (10)")
FAQs
What is the secret to good fudge? ›
- Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
- Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
- Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
- Beat the mixture.
If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.
Who makes the world's best fudge? ›- Original Murdick's Fudge.
- Joann's Fudge.
- Ryba's Fudge Shops.
- 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.
Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer
Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.
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!
Why is Mackinac Island fudge so good? ›To obtain the world famous taste, the fudge is slowly cooked in traditional copper kettles over a gas flame. Once the desired temperature is reached, the mixture is poured onto marble slabs for a cooling period and then hand-paddled into loaves. Joann's Fudge does not contain any preservatives or powdered ingredients.
What is the most popular flavor of fudge? ›After years of testing recipes, we're pretty sure we have a handle on the most popular fudge flavors, but chocolate and cherry will always rank high on the list.
What is American fudge? ›Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings.
What happens if you stir fudge too early? ›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 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 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 makes fudge so good? ›The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals. The result is creamy and smooth with a distinctive semi-soft texture and just a hint of sugar crystals.
What is the key to successful non grainy fudge? ›The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.
How do you describe high quality fudge? ›High-quality fudge tastes smooth and creamy because it contains small sugar crystals. It has a deep brown color and a satiny sheen. Poor-quality fudge tastes grainy because it contains large sugar crystals.