3 Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Recipe | Perfect for Gifts! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

Add a simple wooden or paper stick, some transparent gauze wrapping, a bow and a creative label to any piece of fudge, and you've now got something that looks more like an expensive candy apple than a humble square of fudge.

It sounds like your fudge simply wasn't heated enough. Fudge is basically a superconcentrated syrup, and it sets when sugar dissolved in the water (from the butter and milk) comes out of solution as the mixture cools and forms crystals.

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Desired texture

What do you look for in a piece of fudge? It should hold together well without being too hard and, above all, has to be melty and silky in your mouth.

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.

Vanilla is often added to chocolate candies or other chocolate recipes because it complements and accents the flavor of chocolate.

There are lots of fudge recipes around which don't use vanilla at all (it's a treat which is very open to experimentation in general). So if you don't add vanilla, it won't taste like vanilla, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will taste bad, have the wrong consistency or behave differently when cooked and cooled.

Put parchment paper to good use with this idea for packaging edible gifts: Carefully wrap your favorite Christmas fudge inside a DIY parchment paper wrapping paper. Complete the rustic look by tying a twine ribbon adorned with a cheery candy cane.

How do you store fudge for gifts? ›

To keep it soft and fresh, wrap fudge tightly in plastic after it cools. Well-wrapped fudge will stay fresh for one to two weeks in a cool, dry pantry. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for two to three weeks, or in the freezer for two to three months.

Condensed milk is thicker and sweetened. If you want it to be the right consistency and flavor do not substitute. How can I make a fudge recipe without using evaporated milk? Evaporated milk is used to richen the texture of the fudge.

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).

Fudge Didn't Set

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough. This mistake is super easy to avoid if you use a candy thermometer and cook the fudge to the temperature specified in the recipe (usually between 234 and 239°F).

Too Soft or Too Hard Fudge

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

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.

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.