Few desserts can cause the same mouth-watering cravings as fudge. This succulent, sugary square has a flavor profile almost as rich as its history. In late 1800s Maryland, a confectioner botched a batch of caramel candies, consequently creating the first fudge. Although fudgecalls for a shockingly small list of ingredients, there is no shortage of over-the-top fudge recipes to take this sweet treat to the next level.
Despite requiring very few ingredients, making fudge requires a fair bit of finesse. Making the perfect piece of fudge is by no means easy. One of the most common problems that arises making this delicious treat is when the fudge ends up overly oily. Fortunately, fixing the issue is fairly simple. Put the greasy mix back into a pot, add a few tablespoons of water, and stir the fudge on a low heat. Once this new mixture is complete, rebake the fudge. If you want to make this fix unnecessary, paying close attention to your fudge while it's being formed and using the right ingredients in the mixture can help prevent your fudge from becoming overly oily.
A little liquid and a stint on the stove can remedy a number of fudge problems. Adding water and remixing is also how you can fix homemade fudge if it comes out grainy. This may slightly dilute the taste of your fudge, but a textural improvement will go a long way in covering for any flavor issues. You also need to make sure that you're stirring this second attempt enough, as a lack of mixing may have played a part in the first fudge's oily nature. However, oily fudge can also be caused by overmixing. You should only stir your mixture until it comes to a boil. Then, turn off the stove and allow the liquid fudge's sugar to fully dissolve. Once this dissolution has taken place, bring the mix back to a boil, but do not stir it.
When it comes to keeping your fudge from getting too oily, a modicum of prevention is worth a considerable amount of cure. A candy thermometer is an incredibly important tool for making fudge. It will allow you to keep a close eye on your fudge while it's still in its liquid phase and possibly prevent it from ever becoming oily in the first place. If you've passed the point where adding water to the mix is a possibility, you can also allow your fudge to cool, cut it up, and lay the squares out on paper towels to allow some of the oil to be absorbed.
Butter, arguably the most important ingredient in fudge, is an emulsion, which is the fancy-sounding term for the end product that comes about when you force two things together that are resistant to being mixed. The incompatible ingredients in question are fat and water. The mix of ingredients that you're stirring together to make fudge is a similar emulsion, one that combines butter with milk and sugar. If your fudge is heated too much during the mixing process, or if the ingredients are insufficiently mixed together, the butter fat will separate itself from the liquids in the mix and rise to the top of the fudge, forming greasy pools. Being aware of the role that fat plays in fudge can be crucial to ensuring that your homemade fudge doesn't wind up too greasy.
Heat aside, other factors could have a handin forming excessively oily fudge. Some potential problems include adding too much fat to your fudge mix, which often happens when a home cook chooses to use oil or butter interchangeably. Using low-quality chocolate -- which is more likely to split in the heat -- in your fudge will also cause it to get greasy. Fixing oily fudge is a relatively simple process, but sticking to quality ingredients and making sure you follow the recipe can make fixes unnecessary.
One of the most common problems that arises making this delicious treat is when the fudge ends up overly oily. Fortunately, fixing the issue is fairly simple. Put the greasy mix back into a pot, add a few tablespoons of water, and stir the fudge on a low heat.Once this new mixture is complete, rebake the fudge.
To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.
If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.
OPTION 1) Depending on how runny it is, you can either use it as a frosting for cakes, or a sauce for ice-cream. OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed.
The secret to smooth fudge is to let the sugar syrup cool undisturbed until it reaches about 110°F and then beat it until no longer shiny. A temperature of 110°F is ideal, but -wow, was it hard to beat! I found it easier to beat the fudge and still get good results with a cooled temperature of 125°-135°F.
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.
Wrap your fudge in an air-tight container. Several layers of saran wrap, vacuum seal, Tupperware should all keep the moisture locked in pretty good. A couple hours before you would like to enjoy your fudge, take it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw out on your counter. ENJOY!
You should mix the cream, butter, and sugar when making your fudge, but put down the spoon once it has reached its boiling point. Stirring while your sugar mixture is boiling will only form sugar crystals and make your fudge crunchy rather than silky smooth.
By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals. Stirring also introduces air, dust, and small dried bits from the walls of the saucepan—all potential seeds for crystal formation.
The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.
If your fudge is tough, hard, or grainy, then you may have made one of several mistakes: You may have overcooked it, beaten it too long, or neglected to cool it to the proper temperature.
Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again. The mixture may seize and become grainy. Use a candy thermometer or conduct a cold water test to check if the fudge is done.
You could also gently heat the fudge with some moisture. This could be done: In the microwave - microwave in short increments with a glass of (warm) water, which creates steam for the fudge to absorb, until the fudge no longer feels/looks dried out.
By cooling the fudge prior to agitation (like in the recipes included in this article), on the other hand, you'll get much smaller, finer sugar crystals and a finished fudge with a smooth, creamy texture. Cool the mixture until it reads 120° F on the thermometer—no stirring. This can take 1 to 1/2 hours.
So, the key to smooth yet firm fudge, pralines, and fondant is to first bring the mixture to a high enough concentration and then let it cool off somewhat before starting to stir. And once you do start to stir, stir fanatically and without stopping for the finest, creamiest texture.
So to recap, it's best to store proper fudge at room temperature. Keeping it in the fridge takes out all its moisture, drying it out. Homemade fudge is best in the fridge. No matter where you store it, the goal is to protect the fudge from exposure to the elements so airtight containers are best!
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