English Fudge Recipes

OLD FASHIONED CREAMY COCOA FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8"x8" pan** (See Notes) with parchment or non-stick foil with a piece that is long enough to line the bottom and come up and over two opposite sides of the pan. (use these as "handles" to get the cooled fudge out of the pan). Spray with pan spray. You can also spray or butter the pan well, but using parchment or non-stick foil will make it easier to get the fudge out of the pan.
• Place the sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, salt and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan that is much larger than you think you need. 3 quart size will work just fine.
• Stir well, and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. You can stir it and scrape the sides of the pan until it starts to boil.
• Allow the mixture to boil until it reaches 234F. This is just under the soft ball stage, but this is the correct temperature for making cocoa fudge. (If you're making chocolate fudge, cook to 238F, which is the soft ball stage.)
• Move the pan off the burner and drop in the butter and the vanilla. Don't stir them in (if you stir too soon, you'll end up with grainy fudge).
• Let the mixture cool to 110F. The pan will feel warm but by no means hot. If you're using a "leave-in" candy thermometer, there will be no question. If you don't have one, occasionally check the temperature with your instant read thermometer (that's what I do).
• Once the candy has cooled to the correct temperature, begin stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. You can also scoop up a bunch of the warm candy and let it pour back into the pot. This will make you feel fancy, and it will help to bring the temperature of the candy down more quickly. Keep stirring and stirring until the candy is just starting to lose its gloss and thicken up.
• Dump in the pecans if using, and stir them in quickly.
• Scrape the now-quite-thick fudge into the pan and moosh it into the corners with a spatula. I sprinkled some flaky sea salt on top of mine. You can too if you want. Or not.
• Allow the candy to set up for at least an hour before slicing with a sharp knife.
• Store at room temperature in a tightly-sealed container for 3-4 days. But it will be gone before then.

OLD FASHIONED FUDGE RECIPE

Steps:

• Butter a flat baking tray.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and slowly add the sugar. When you can see the sugar just beginning to burn (little brown bits in it), then add the condensed milk.
• Now keep stirring with a wooden spoon (non-stop) - if you stop stirring, it will burn and you will have toffee stuck to the pan. It will change colour to light brown and then a darker brown. Keep stirring. Then at some point the mix will start to change texture.
• You will see what I mean - the mixture will start to change its consistency. At this point, and NO LATER, you pour it onto the baking tray. If you get it right, it should be fudge, and edible without breaking your teeth ☺️.
• If you get it wrong, the bottom of the pan will have dark brown burnt sugar residues, and you will have made toffee instead (also good !) The taste is the same, but it can break your teeth. The advantage is that the batch lasts longer, as the other consumers are away at the dentist ????.
• Before it has completely cooled mark into squares with a knife.

ENGLISH FUDGE

Steps:

• Heat chocolate chips, sweet and condensed milk, and pinch of salt until chocolate chips melt.
• Add 2 tbsp vanilla when off of heat.

CARAMEL FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8X8 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a large sauce pan. Heat on low and stir until all the sugar has been dissolved. Watch closely so that the mixture does not burn.
• Increase the heat to medium and cook in the sauce pan for 3-5 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Watch the mixture closely so it does not burn.
• Next, remove the mixture form the heat, stir in the white chocolate melts and continue to stir until all the chocolate chips have melted.
• Then transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature and then cover the pan and move the pan to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Once the fudge has fully set, cut and serve!

EASY FUDGE

Steps:

• Line a 20cm/8inch square tin with baking paper. Place a glass of cold water in the freezer (or in the fridge with ice cubes).
• Place all of the ingredients, apart from the salt, into a large, dry saucepan over a low heat. Continuously stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Slowly bring the mixture to a rolling boil over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Stir continuously, especially around the edges, to stop the mixture catching on the bottom of the pan and burning. Be very careful as the mixture is very hot.
• Once the mixture has reduced and darkened, carefully dip a teaspoon into the mixture and drizzle it into your glass of iced water (remove the ice cubes if using.) It should become a soft, pliable ball you can squash with your fingers when dropped into the iced water. If it sticks to the glass or your fingers when you press it, continue to boil and test the mixture every 2-3 minutes, or until it passes the test.
• Add a pinch of salt then beat the mixture well. Leave to cool in the saucepan for 10 minutes. Beat the thickened mixture again, breaking the top that will have started to set until it starts to lose its shine. Leave for another 5 minutes and beat again. Pour into the lined tin and level with the back of a spoon.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until completely firm and you can cut through it easily with a knife without it getting stuck. Remove the fudge from the tin, transfer to a chopping board and slice into 36 pieces (6x6) with a sharp knife.

VANILLA FUDGE

Steps:

• Fill a small bowl or jug with ice cold water and put near the stove. Grease a tin of approx. 30 x 20cm / 12 x 8 inch or 25cm / 10 inch square, or use a throwaway foil tin, as I have in the picture. Put all the ingredients, apart from the vanilla, into a large, heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 12-20 minutes, still stirring all the time, until the mixture is golden and, when a bit is dropped into the water, it turns solid but still squidgy, i.e., till soft-ball stage (see intro). How long this takes depends on how ferociously it bubbles as well as on the properties and dimensions of the pan. This is hot work! When the fudge is at soft-ball stage, very carefully remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla. Preferably using an electric whisk beat for about five minutes, by which time the fudge will have thickened to the texture of stiff peanut butter - this is quite steamy and strenuous - and pour and push into the prepared tin. Smooth the top as well as you can. Put in the fridge to cool, but don't keep it there for more than 2 hours, or it will set too hard, then remove and using a sharp knife, cut into squares. This is not a geometrically accurate term, as you can see from my cutting skills.

BUTTER FUDGE

Steps:

• Mix sugar, water, butter and condensed milk together in a somewhat tall pot (the mixture rises quickly) and bring to a gentle boil. While the fudge is boiling, stir continously with a wooden spoon for about half an hour, to ensure no sugar burns to the bottom of the pot.
• Nearing the half-hour mark, the fudge should then have become greatly reduced in quantity, thick, sticky, and most importantly, should have the typical darker "brown" colour of fudge (but dark muddy brown means it's turned into toffee). It's better to leave it on longer if unsure, than to take it off the boil prematurely.
• Once it looks ready, take off the boil, add the Vanilla Essence, and beat thoroughly for a minute, then pour mixture into a greased baking tray and allow to cool.
• for at least 6 hours.
• Cut into squares once cooled properly (could take up to 6 hours). The result should be a fudge that is solid, but crumbly around the edges when you cut it (as opposed to the soft and chewy Nougat variety). It should also have a grainy texture. It may take a few attempts to perfect this recipe in a way you enjoy it the most; also note that if your mixture turns into toffee or fails completely, it's best to try again another day with new ingredients as failures often happen for no discernable reason.