When it comes to desserts, fudge is probably the richest of any you can think of. These little squares of heaven are a brief pause in your day to enjoy one of life's great pleasures. You would be hard-pressed to find another recipe that will provide such a strong response from your friends and family than old-school fudge.
But no matter how good fudge is, it can be difficult to make, especially the old-fashioned kind that needs to be beaten in order to set. In these cases, it can be hard to get the consistency just right. Some stir to the point where the fudge becomes a solid lump while others keep stirring only to find their fudge is still a liquid mess.
The secret to success is knowing when to stop beating and this can be hard to determine just by reading a recipe. Temperature, humidity, and even cookware can affect the final product of your efforts. However, we have provided some secrets for success.
Check Your Candy Thermometer: It is important to get your sugar syrup cooked to the right temperature. If it’s overcooked, the fudge will be hard and grainy. If it’s undercooked, it may not thicken at all. You can avoid this by checking your candy thermometer regularly during preparation and cooking.
Beat the Fudge Until You Notice a Change in Texture: You might think your fudge is not doing anything but give it time! When your fudge is ready it will be nearly set and have a matte look and extremely thick consistency. This can take anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes.
Don’t Overbeat: This is probably the hardest thing for cooks. Many will think, ‘let me give it one more stir…’ and then the fudge sets and all hope is lost. As soon as you see it getting its matte, opaque look, stop stirring. This will give you enough liquidity to get the fudge out of the bowl. It's important to remember that you will be chilling your fudge so it's okay if it comes out of the pot a little thin.
Add Hot Water if Necessary: If you find that you have overbeaten your fudge and it’s starting to harden, a spoonful of hot water can do wonders. Add a little at a time until the fudge loosens up. Use as little as possible to achieve this effect.
Use Wet Hands to Pat Fudge Smooth: Spreading fudge with a spatula can leave drag marks and other imperfections. To avoid this, wet hands lightly or coat them with a thin layer of nonstick spray. This will help your hands to glide over the fudge and give the top a seamless look.
Fudge can be made in any variety of flavors, but in keeping with the classic theme of this old-fashioned recipe, we have chosen a traditional chocolate. Follow these directions to make yours to perfection.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate (squares)
- 4 cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1. Combine milk and chocolate in medium-size heavy saucepan; cook over low heat until chocolate is melted. Add sugar, corn syrup, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, to boiling.
2. Cook, without stirring to 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (A teaspoonful of syrup will form a soft ball when dropped into cold water.) Remove from heat at once. Add vanilla and butter or margarine, but do not stir in.
3. Cool mixture in pan to 11 0F, or until lukewarm; beat with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens and begins to lose its gloss. (This will take about 15 minutes.)
4. Spread in a buttered 8x8x2″ pan. Let stand until set and cool; cut into squares. Makes about 2 pounds.