What makes fudge hard

Imaginative or a case of attention deficit? You decide. It is worth noting that Evaporated Milk does in most cases contain sulphites which have been reported in some cases to cause stomach irritation. The test is simply to drop a very small amount of your boiling mixture into a small glass half-filled with water. The reasoning is that if the fudge holds together and forms a ball which you can lift out and hold between your fingers then it might be ready. The only way to accurately do this is via a candy thermometer.

Most recipes talk about boiling the fudge but very few give a time. The reason for this is that it does come down to lots of variables including your heat height, how your pan conducts the heat and various other elements which can be difficult to define. Once your fudge has reached temperature and it has been removed from the heat you might think the hard work is over.

The reality is that it is just beginning! Beating takes the sugar crystals and stretches them and that stops the sugar crystals reforming. In short beating your fudge will give you a much smoother texture. Some people have come into our kitchen to work with us for a short while and been amazed at three things; 1.

How long you have to beat the fudge for 2. How hard you have to beat the fudge 3. How sore their arms are the next day! The beating of the fudge will either make it or break it and in our experience, the same can be said of the fudge maker after this step! Fudge does spit as it boils and the hotter it gets the more any potential burn will hurt. Pop the grainy fudge back into the pan along with some water and a little cream and melt the fudge back down to a liquid and re-boil it to temperature.

Heat slowly to begin with and make sure the mixture goes completely smooth before bringing it to the boil. But why did my fudge go grainy? All of these factors could be the cause of grainy fudge. You could simply pour it over ice cream and enjoy. If you wanted it just a little thinner for fudge sauce simply add some heavy cream and just reheat until it has all melted through. Everyone in the family would love you and you need never admit it was ever intended to be anything other than fudge sauce!

But really why did my fudge not set? If the mixture only ever reaches or degrees celcius it will always be soft. Our advice would be to buy a candy thermometer and take the guesswork out of the fudge making. The second reason although a tad more likely is that you might have too high a liquid to sugar ration in your fudge ingredients.

As ridiculous as this sounds it really does make a difference. A cool, dry day with low humidity is actually the best days to make fudge. The easy answer is to boil the fudge to 0. Also, use a slightly lower heat of the pan base and be prepared for the whole exercise to take just a little longer.

This reduces the risk of the fudge boiling over as well. Fudge has a reasonably high fat content and a very high sugar content but sometimes in life you just need a treat. There are far worse things you could do to your body than have a little bit of fudge. So what about these recipes? If you end up with fudge that is too soft, you can make truffles out of the mixture and roll them in coatings.

If you want to save the fudge, return it to the pan, add about 2 tablespoons of cream and bring it to a boil. This means that the fudge will have reached too high a temperature. There will not be enough liquid left to form sugar crystals. To save a fudge recipe where this happens, add about 4 tablespoons of cream and bring the mixture to a boil.

Grainy fudge is caused by one of three problems: overcooking, over beating or neglecting to cool it properly. Then start the entire cooking process over, being more careful about the heat, beating and cooling steps. Often, these recipes do not require long cooking on the stove.

These fudge recipes are almost always foolproof. They are also very, very sweet. Sometimes, your ingredients will let you down. Have you ever started a brown sugar fudge recipe only to discover that your brown sugar has hardened?

No problem! These 6 easy tips for softening brown sugar are sure to help. When your finished fudge is too stiff, kneading it in your hands will soften in slightly.

Then, you can press it into a pan or roll it into a long log and slice it. Once the fudge has been cooked, has thickened and any extra ingredients added, it will normally set in about 3 hours. You can also make it in the evening and allow it to set overnight. As tempting as it might be to rush your fudge making project by putting it in the fridge to harden more quickly, resist this urge. Cooling fudge too rapidly can cause sugar crystallization to occur too soon.

This causes a grainy fudge. Placing fudge in the fridge while it is still soft also allows it to pick up other flavors from the fridge and causes it to dry out more quickly. The fudge is made in the microwave and comes out perfectly every time..

It really is fool proof even if all your fudge recipes fail! Would you like a reminder of these tips for foolproof fudge?

Just pin this image to one of your dessert boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later. But be careful. Once your family tastes these, you will be their go-to person for fudge making!

Easy Dark Chocolate Fudge. Pumpkin Spice Fudge. Pecan Fudge with Candy Corn. Easy Gingerbread Fudge. Creamsicle Fudge. Maple Bacon Fudge. Snowflake and Christmas Wreath Fudge. Easy Butterscotch Fudge. Red Velvet Fudge Recipe.

Cherry Vanilla Fudge. Easy Chocolate Raspberry Fudge. White Chocolate Frozen Fudge. German Chocolate Fudge. White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge. Rainbow Fudge. Admin note: This post first appeared on the blog in December of I have updated the post with new recipes and tips, a printable card and a video for you to enjoy. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Thank you for all your tips and help with fudge. I did everything right but my fudge took too long to reach the right temperature and start to burn before deg C. I wasn't sure what to do as it needed to cook longer!

I didn't have the temperature high for cooking maybe the pot needs to have a heavier base? Thank you for the excellent tips in this article. I do have a question. You say to use "cream". Do you mean half and half coffee cream, or heavy cream like you would use to make whip cream?

Cream has become a generic term, so not sure which I should be using. Thank you. Hi Angie, The tip on using cream is a general tip meaning heavy cream. By saying this, I mean that cream instead of milk gives a creamier fudge. However, if you are following a recipe which asks for half and half, or specifically asks for milk, you should inquire from the recipe creator. Substitutes don't always work. Thank you for these wonderful tips. I still have a question though. I have made my penuche fudge for years.

We recently moved to a higher altitude and dryer climate. Any suggestions? I don't like in a higher altitude but my understanding is to adjust the temperature to a higher altitude, deduct two degrees from the temperature required for every one thousand feet of altitude above sea level.

For example, if you live 5, feet above sea level, you would deduct 10 degrees from degrees or whatever your recipe calls for. Tips for making foolproof perfect every time. These fudge making tips will help to ensure that you end up with foolproof fudge.

The holidays are the time to try out some new fudge recipes. Do you have a problem getting fudge to set correctly? Head to the Gardening Cook to learn my tips for foolproof fudge. Click To Tweet Cooking tools for foolproof fudge. Use a heavy saucepan with tall sides for perfect fudge without the mess. Choose a pan that is at least three times the volume of your ingredients to avoid this. Choose wooden or silicone spoons and spatulas. A candy thermometer tests your fudge temperature.

Testing fudge without a candy thermometer. Line your pan to release the fudge easily. More foolproof fudge making tips. Best ingredients for making perfect fudge.

Which is best for making perfect fudge — milk or cream? Gather your ingredients before you begin making the fudge. Avoid making fudge on a humid or rainy day. The fudge sets more quickly and has less chance to form unwanted crystals which make it grainy. Essentially you need to know about sugar boiling points.

There are two important levels used: soft boil, and hard boil. My cook books suggest using a sugar thermometer to get the perfect boil but I've never found a sugar thermometer in the shops. Instead I rely on a great deal of practice, the colour, the texture and the drip of the mix to gage how hot the sugar is. The colour will darken slightly to a dark yellow or light brown.

For caramel and fudge you go to a soft boil then cool. For tablet and toffee you go to a hard boil. The next part is the cooling. This is equally important as the boiling. The faster you cool the mix the smaller the crystals become. The slower, the larger. If you want a caramel or a toffee, you must avoid agitating the mix as it cools.

For fudge you should stir the gently as it cools slightly before pouring onto the try. For tablet, the mix should be vigorously stirred until stiff then poured onto a try. Be patient and do not stir fudge during cooking, only drag wooden spoon across bottom of pan. Remove from heat at degrees fahrenheit, or soft ball stage.

Drop in butter and let cool without stirring to degree fahrenheit. Very important to let the fudge cool and rest before beating. What you're seeing is crystalization. Fudge is such a picky animal. Here is a site called the Science of Cooking that walks through exactly how to avoid grainy fudge:. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top.

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