Whats Going On?
Why do I add corn syrup?
Corn syrup acts as an "interfering agent" in this and many other candy recipes. It contains long chains of glucose molecules that tend to keep the sucrose molecules in the candy syrup from crystallizing. In fudge, the addition of "interfering agents" can be a double-edged sword: you want crystals to form, but not until the cooked mixture has cooled down to a certain degree. Why do I add vanilla?
Vanilla is often added to chocolate candies or other chocolate recipes because it complements and accents the flavor of chocolate. Why do I need to stop stirring after the syrup begins to boil?
At this point, you have dissolved the crystal structure of the sugar. Stirring or other agitation is one of the many factors that can encourage the fructose and glucose molecules in your syrup to rejoin and form sucrosecrystals of table sugar. Why do I wash down the sides of the pan?
The sugar crystals are dissolved at this point in the process. But a single seed crystal of sugar clinging to the side of the pan might fall in and encourage recrystallization. Why does the fudge need to cool for such a long time?
The key to a smooth and creamy texture is a fudge that's full of thousands of tiny sugar crystals. Heating the syrup to a high temperature and then allowing it to cool, undisturbed, produces a supersaturated solutionthis means that the solution contains more sugar molecules than would normally be possible at room temperature. A supersaturated solution is highly unstable, and any agitation will cause crystallization to occur throughout the solution. If fudge is stirred while it's still hot, fewer crystals form, and they grow larger as the syrup cools, resulting in a coarse, grainy candy. Why is it so important to keep stirring until the fudge "sets"?
Stirring helps control the size of the sugar crystals that formit keeps them from growing too large, which would produce gritty fudge. close this window |
FAQs
Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F). The cooking is intended to evaporate a part of the liquid and concentrate the sugar. The temperature of the cream/sugar mixture (called syrup) rises as water evaporates.
How does fudge relate to chemistry? ›
When making fudge, heat and acid work together to convert sucrose – basic white sugar – into its two components, glucose and fructose. When these sugars are present, they prevent sucrose from turning into big sugar crystals.
What is the secret to non-grainy fudge? ›
A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.
What happens if you boil fudge too long? ›
The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.
What would cause fudge not to harden? ›
Homemade Fudge Doesn't Always Set
If your fudge doesn't firm up after a few hours, you either have too high an amount of liquid to sugar, or your mixture hasn't reached the soft-ball stage. Using a candy thermometer can help home cooks avoid this problem.
What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›
Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!
Why is my fudge not creamy? ›
Fudge usually behaves this way when it's not cooked to a high enough temperature (due to oversight or a faulty candy thermometer). 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.
What is the best pan for cooking fudge? ›
Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.
What is the principle of fudge? ›
Heating the sugar and milk mixture allows the milk to dissolve more and more sugar, and by the time the mixture is boiling, all the sugar is dissolved. The general principle is that at a particular temperature, a given solvent (in this case, milk) can dissolve only so much of a particular solute (sugar).
What temperature should fudge be cooked at? ›
When you're cooking your fudge over the stove, you should aim for a maximum temperature between 234-237ºF. Yes, that's only a three-degree range! In order to ensure you remove your fudge from the heat as soon as it reaches this temperature, you should monitor the mixture with a candy thermometer.
If your fudge has a texture like soft toffee, it could be due to overcooking, using too much sugar or butter, or not cooking it to the right temperature.
Why does my homemade fudge look greasy? ›
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.
Can you recook fudge if it doesn't set? ›
Solutions to Save Your Fudge:
You can start by gently reheating it and boiling or cooking it again, aiming to reach the correct temperature. Alternatively, using short bursts in the microwave and stirring between intervals until it thickens can also be an effective method to restore its texture.
How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›
How long does it take to make fudge:
- about 18 min to reach boiling.
- about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
- 60 minutes to cool.
- 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
- 4 hours to set.
Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings. The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals.
What is fudge explained? ›
fudge, creamy candy made with butter, sugar, milk, and usually chocolate, cooked together and beaten to a soft, smooth texture. Fudge may be thought of as having a consistency harder than that of fondant and softer than that of hard chocolate.
What gives fudge its texture? ›
The main difference is the texture, which is determined by two things: the size of the sugar crystals in the candy, and the concentration of the sugar. Toffee is smooth with no sugar crystals, whereas fudge has tiny crystals that give it that texture.
