Chefs will tell you that cooking is an art and a science. The science can come into play when making fudge. Not only do proper measurements play a role in the success of your batch of fudge, but so does the cookware used and believe it or not the weather. This is a page about problems making fudge.
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18 Questions
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Question: Problems Making Fudge?
Faith
April 8, 2011
When cooking fudge, do you have to have a pot that evenly distributes heat or will any pot do? Is there a secret to knowing how the fudge looks when it is ready? On two separate occasions, my thermometer did not read right. Thanks!
By Faith from Clyo, GA
Answers
Joan
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 186Feedbacks
April 8, 20111 found this helpful
Best Answer
My Mother and I always just used any cheap pot that we had on hand.
For many years my Mother didn't even own a candy thermometer. She checked for the right degree of doneness by dropping a small dab of the batter in a cup with a little cold water in it. If the dab formed a soft ball that meant it was ready to take off the stove.
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She then added some butter (never measured it, it looked like it might be about 1-2 Tbsps., you should also add vanilla to taste.)
Then she set the pan in some cold water, I don't remember for how long, and after a certain period of time she began stirring it until it lost it's gloss, then poured it into a greased pan.
When it was completely hard, it was cut into squares. I just checked in a church cook book and found a recipe that must be similar to the one my Mother used and I did get the directions right.
Marjorie
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 290Feedbacks
April 8, 20111 found this helpful
Best Answer
I have one of the easiest fudge recipes, and it has always turned out perfect. I use my microwave oven to make it. I use a large Corning Ware dish with lid.
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Easy Chocolate Fudge
- 2 cups (12 oz.) Semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 1 1/4 cups (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Combine morsels and sweetened condensed milk in heavy saucepan.
- Warm over lowest possible heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
- Spread evenly into foiled-lined 8 or 9-inch square pan.
- Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil and cut into squares.
(Makes about 2 lbs. fudge)
Denise
April 11, 20110 found this helpful
Best Answer
I have a perfect fudge recipe every time, no thermometer needed.
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
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- a dash salt
- 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with condensed milk and salt.
- Remove from heat, stir in nuts and vanilla.
- Spread evenly on a wax paper lined 8 or 9 in a square pan. Chill for 2 hours.
- Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut.
This is an "Eagle Brand" condensed milk recipe I've had for 30 years. Perfect every time!
Christina
October 4, 20152 found this helpful
Best Answer
I've been making this fudge for years and it has never failed. I have friends who eagerly wait for Christmas because this is when I make it. If you can tell time, you too can make this smooth, wonderful fudge.
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Mix the ingredients below together in a very large bowl. Find something large that will handle the heat; then put in:
- 1 large bag Semi-sweet Chocolate pieces (I use 16 Oz)
- 1 cup Milk Chocolate pieces (or a large Hershey bar plus a row of another) so it equals 8 oz
- 4 cups mini marshmallows (Keep them in the fridge or a cool place until measuring time. If you leave them out, they might expand in the warmth of your home, and you won't get a
good measurement.) - 3 cups of chopped Pecans.
Put aside 2 teaspoons of Vanilla to be used later on. Don't put it in the bowl yet.
In a pot (with a bottom that displaces heat) mix:
- 1 can of Evaporated Milk
- 4 1/2 cups of Sugar
- 1 cup of Butter (cut into pieces)
Continuously stirring, bring to the milk, sugar, and butter mixture to a boil on medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat until it is finally on low but the boil continues.
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Now, here's the trick to the recipe. At the first sign of it coming to a boil, start a timer set for 10 minutes, while continuing to stir constantly.
When the ten minutes is up, immediately add the milk, sugar, and butter from the pot to the chocolate mixture in the Tupperware bowl. Now add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
Using a large, wooden spoon or something that wont break, stir everything together until it is smooth and no little lumps of the marshmallows remain. Immediately, pour onto parchment paper in a 9" x 13" pan. Refrigerate and cut into small squares. Store in a cool space or in the fridge. Do not freeze.
Anonymous
December 16, 20150 found this helpful
Best Answer
I just started making fudge with my slow cooker and it comes out fab. It sets well and has great texture. Combine 500 grams chocolate, 1 can condensed milk, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence. Stir every ten minutes. When you have had 2 layers of skin, it is ready. I add peanut butter to mine and it tastes like Reece's.
Question: Fudge Didn't Set?
December 17, 2011
I made the same recipe with the semi sweets and sweet condensed milk. I followed the directions, cooking until melted smooth, then I added the nuts and vanilla. It has been in fridge for 5 hours and has still not set up. What did I do wrong and how do I get it set up now?
By Nofudge
Answers
Mary
December 20, 20110 found this helpful
Best Answer
Put it back in the pan and cook it until it has thickened some more, then it should set up.
valerama1
December 12, 20162 found this helpful
Best Answer
Probably you used evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. Happens all the time.
Question: Fix for Chewy Fudge?
December 20, 2011
I made my mom's marshmallow fudge. Instead of using MM creme I used whole marshmallows. The fudge set and tastes good, but is chewy and very dense which is not what I was going for.
Any suggestions to repair this batch?
By Lynn N.
Answers
Janette
Bronze Tip Medal for All Time! 86Tips
December 20, 20111 found this helpful
Best Answer
Oh do I have the best peanut butter fudge recipe for you. It is so unbelievably creamy and is foolproof. Comes out great every time. Never gritty or chewy.
3 cups of sugar, 12oz. of Jiffy peanut butter ( I like Jiffy the best), 1/4 cup of clear Karo syrup, 1-7oz. jar of marshmallow cream, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (do not use imitation vanilla), 2 Tablespoons of butter, and 2/3 cups of evaporated milk. In a medium pan mix together the evaporated milk, sugar, Karo syrup, and butter. Stirring constantly until a rolling boil. Boil 3 minutes and only 3 minutes. If you cook it longer it is hard to stir in the pb and MM cream. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, marshmallow cream, and peanut butter. Stir until the marshmallow cream and peanut butter are melted and incorporated. Pour into a buttered pan. Cool and cut into squares and enjoy!
tbelcz01
December 29, 20160 found this helpful
Best Answer
I did the same thing and all I tasted was the powdery mini marshmallow in my fudge. On my second batch I discovered the trick of making marshmellows into marshmallow cream, and this time my fudge turned out much better! Truth is, you can never fudge, fudge! Everyone is still bound to eat it all up!
For 7 ounces of mini marshmallow =1 and 1/8 cup add those to microwaveable bowl and be sure to add one Tablspoon of corn syrup, heat for 30 seconds, take out and stir with a silicone spatula! Bravo! You can even make your own marshmallows according to Anton from Food network! And That's about as from scratch as it gets!
Question: Fudge Won't Come to a Boil?
kathymc45
December 16, 2017
I put the milk, sugar, and butter in a double boiler and it won't boil! This has never happened before.
Answers
mom-from-missouri
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 255Posts
December 17, 20170 found this helpful
Best Answer
Either you don't have enough water in your double broiler, or the heat is not turned up high enough. You may have a faulty thermostat on your stove burner--try a different burner.
Question: Fixing Fudge?
sweetie
December 21, 2010
I used too much canned cream in my fudge, and, of course, it did not harden. Can I bring it back to a boil, and add more ingredients?
By sweetie from Jermyn, PA
Answers
Loverchangsta
December 21, 20100 found this helpful
What I think is that you could, I guess, because that's what I usually do when I add a little bit too much of something.
Keeper
Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 690Feedbacks
December 22, 20100 found this helpful
Try baking911.com. It's a safe site to use for a lot of cooking/baking questions and remedies.
Question: Fudge Crumbly?
Gail R.
December 11, 2012
I make fudge all the time. It is the recipe on the Hershey can with a little alteration. My question is, at times I make it sometimes it turns out perfectly, but other times when I cut it, it is crumbly. I make it on pretty days, but it still comes out crumbly at times. Other times it stays together nicely when cut. Weather is not the factor, but I don't know what is. I always measure carefully. Any answers out there?
By GR
Answers
lauramia
April 14, 20200 found this helpful
It sounds like your not using a good candy thermometer. It will only come out different as you described if cooking temperatures and length of boil time is different. A good candy thermometer is only about 12$. Well worth it.
Preventing Grainy Fudge
August 3, 2011
This is a page about preventing grainy fudge. Homemade fudge is a delicious treat. However, on occasion rather that the smooth creamy texture you were hoping for it turns out grainy.
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Fudge is Too Soft
September 5, 2017
If you have made fudge that is not setting up, you may be able to fix it. Making fudge that is too soft can be frustrating but there are some options to improve your fudge.
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How to Fix Grainy Fudge
December 4, 2017
This is a page about fixing grainy fudge. Grainy fudge is a common issue. Some recipes are more finicky, while others are more fool proof. Here are some suggestions if your fudge has turned out grainy.
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Fudge Came Out Gritty
October 22, 2018
According to accomplished fudge makers, there are a couple of things that can cause gritty fudge, including not adding Karo syrup. This is a page about what can cause fudge to come out gritty.
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Peanut Butter Fudge Not Hardening?
May 20, 2022
How can I salvage Peanut Butter Fudge that has not hardened?
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Archives
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Archive: Problems Making Fudge
April 8, 2011
I have a batch of chocolate/ peanut butter fudge that did not harden. Does anyone know how I can salvage it?
By peggy perry
Answers:
Problems Making Fudge
Use it for frosting, don't throw it out.
http://www.baking911.com/candy/fudge.htm (12/20/2010)
By Marjorie
Problems Making Fudge
Thanks for the ideas. I made this fudge for Christmas, two large trays. I cannot throw away. It can always be ice cream topping. I reheated it and brought almost to a soft ball, added 1/3 cup of powdered sugar, and same of baking power cocoa and stirred well. I poured it into a pan and it is already setting up. Thanks for the help! (12/22/2010)
By Tammy
Archive: Fixing Fudge
December 21, 2010
Can I fix my gritty fudge?
By Ellen A. Egan from Wawa, Ontario, Canada
Answers:
Fixing Fudge
Probably not; that means that the sugar did not dissolve (the mix wasn't hot enough) or that it crystallized again after cooking. You could try to melt it down again, but I have doubts. I would shave it for use as a topping on ice cream. (07/17/2010)
By Ginny
Archive: Problems Making Fudge
December 20, 2010
How do I get my marshmallow fudge to set up?
By Linda Barnes from E Wenatchee, WA
Answers:
Problems Making Fudge
Make sure too that the sugar you are using is for candy making. There are some granulated sugars that cannot be used for this purpose, and it should state that on the bag. I made that mistake just one, with a cheaper sugar, so now I use nothing, but a good, name brand sugar. (12/23/2009)
By Donna Cutting
Problems Making Fudge
Did you cook the evaporated milk and sugar to softball stage 240 degrees? I usually cook the sugar and milk at a rolling boil for 5 minutes and that does the trick for me.
If your fudge hasn't set up 1 thing you can do is melt a 12 oz bag of chocolate chips in a double boiler and mix in the unset fudge and pour it all back into a buttered dish to set up or use the runny stuff for ice cream topper.
(12/23/2009)
By Babette
Problems Making Fudge
Don't make candy on a humid day, this affects the way candy turns out. Make sure the sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk mixture cooks for at least 5 min., then remove from the heat and add your chocolate chips, vanilla, and nuts are stirred in. Should be fine. Fudge should not be put in the refrigerator. Go to fantasy fudge, it's the best ever. (05/21/2010)
By linda roberts
Problems Making Fudge
I put mine back in a clean pan and put heat on medium. If it is peanut butter fudge stir almost continually until it again boils. Peanut butter may stick to the bottom of the pan. Take off the stove and put the pan in a sink with cold water and occasionally stir a bit to see it is thickening. After about 15 minutes you can "beat the fudge" and put in a buttered pan. I should "re-set." Worked great for me! (12/07/2010)
By suzy turner
Archive: Fixing Fudge
July 16, 2010
How can I fix my fudge if I put in too much evaporated milk?
Rose from middleton, ID
Answers:
Fixing Fudge
If the problem is "too much" liquid, it will just take longer for it to reach the correct temperature. Just keep stirring so it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
(12/28/2006)
By Harlean
Fixing Fudge
I've done this myself on occasion. Just add some more confectioner sugar to it and stir until it thickens. (12/29/2006)
By Jackolyn Smith
Fixing Fudge
Add the other ingredients called for until it looks like it should. Good luck. (12/30/2006)
By Tina
Fixing Fudge
I also recently made fudge (actually pralines, same thing only plopped individually) and it came out grainy and soft. I just took all of them, tossed them back into the pan, slowly melted them and re-boiled them back to temperature. When they came out this time, they were not grainy and they set hard. Grainy fudge is the result of the sugar not completely dissolving (not boiling long enough to the right temperature) or re-crystallizing too early (from crystals forming on the sides then starting a chain reaction, or from agitating the mixture or introducing some foreign substance during cooling).
Grease the sides of the pan before you start and be careful during cooling. (12/17/2007)
By Vicky
Fixing Fudge
Triple rest of ingredients and it should work out OK. Otherwise, looks like it should be tossed. Take all extras and give out to co-workers and neighbors. They will love you for it. (11/27/2009)
By that penguin
Archive: Problems Making Fudge
December 21, 2009
What can I do to get my fudge to get hard on a rainy day?
Archive: Problems Making Fudge
January 1, 2007
I have made fudge 2 years in a row, and each year I make it I put in the refrigerator like it suggests and it turns out gooey in the pan, not like little squares.
Archive: Fixing Fudge
December 23, 2006
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