Chocolate Fudge Recipe: How to Succeed

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So, you're interested in a chocolate fudge recipe? Really? Then you must be ready for a challenge!

Is it one you can master? Or are you headed for a homemade disaster?

Homemade candy can be a pain. It's very time consuming. So plan on spending over an hour on this task.

Cook and stir, cook and stir! Bring it to a boil. Stop stirring. Be careful not to burn it.

Bring it to the proper temperature. Don't undercook it. Don't overcook it.

Don't go insane! See what I mean?

Ok, now that I got that out of my system, are you ready to formulate some fudge? Bring your best and you'll ace this test!

Fooling with Fudge

So, how do you make chocolate fudge? Just a second, please. Are you sure your ready?

Ok, then skip on down to the chocolate fudge recipe.

If you're not quite sure, read on...

Before you risk your sanity and your ingredients, consider this...there's plenty of good chocolate fudge for sale!

Ok, so you still want to try this chocolate fudge recipe. I see you are a do-it-yourselfer. A little bit of a risk taker.

Good. Good.

But before you commit, have a sit. Ponder these points.

Do you have patience? Great! You'll need it.

Do you have a candy thermometer? Not absolutely necessary, but highly recommended!

Wouldn't spend a lot on one just yet, though. No need adding another expensive item to your kitchen drawer.

Do you have a wooden spoon? You're going to have do do a lot of stirring. So pick a spoon with a comfortable handle.

Do you have a heavy, large saucepan? If the pan is too light, the fugde is more likely to burn. The pan needs to be at least 3 quarts. Any smaller and the candy mixture will boil over.

Do you live in a humid area? You'll have to add a degree to the recommended temperature.

Do you live high above sea level? Check your altitude, it can change the boiling point.

Do you have a hand mixer or muscles? You are going to need one or the other to beat the fudge! Comfortable spoon very important at this stage.

Oh, one more thing. Are you good at following instructions?

Still with me? Great, then let's talk ingredients. What do you need to make this chocolate fudge recipe?

Fudge Ingredients

Fortunately, fudge doesn't require many ingredients. All you need is...

• cocoa powder (preferably natural, not dutch)
• sugar
• milk
• salt (optional actually)
• butter
• vanilla extract

Some of those can be costly. But since you're providing the

labor, it's cheaper to make than to buy.

Unless you burn your dark chocolate fudge. Then you have to throw it away and start again. Ouch!

But if you undercook it, like I have, you can salvage it. Use it as fudge sauce for topping ice cream, etc. Or glaze a cake with it.

Even when overcooked, been there, it's not completely ruined. It gets hard and crumbles easily but still tastes good. Eat the crumbs with a spoon. Or spoon them over ice cream or any dessert.

No need to waste your chocolate fudge recipe making efforts! Enjoy the delicious taste. There's always next time to get the texture right.

Chocolate Fudge Recipe

1 cup (111g) of cocoa powder

1 cup (244g) of milk

3 cups (201g approximately) of brown sugar, packed or granulated sugar

pinch of salt (optional)

1 teaspoon (4g) of vanilla extract

5 tablespoons (72g) of butter

butter to prepare the dish for the fudge

First, if using a candy thermometer, adjust the clip so that the bulb rests just above the bottom of the empty pan. I'm assuming you're using the cheap thermometer from the store.

Put the thermometer aside.

To your saucepan add cocoa powder, milk, sugar, and pinch of salt.

Over low heat, stir until the ingredients are mixed well.

Now clip your thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Turn the heat up to medium. Continue to cook and stir constantly, scraping the sides and bottom.

Careful not to break the candy thermometer! If you do, throw away the candy mixture. Redo the chocolate fudge recipe.

Continue the seemingly incessant stirring and cooking until the chocolate mixture begins to boil.

Stop stirring! Let the candy boil until the thermometer reads 234°F or 112.2°C.

Or until a tiny bit of the candy mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into icy cold water. You don't need a lot of water. A 1/3 measuring cup full works for me.

To test, dribble some of liquid candy into the cold water. Use your fingers to form it into a ball. It won't hold that shape when you remove it from the water.

I use both methods to determine when the candy is ready. The cheap candy thermometer isn't the most accurate available.

The soft ball method can be a little difficult to judge. It's especially difficult at first. But it becomes easier with practice!

Remove the pan from the heat. Add butter and vanilla. Don't stir! Set the pan aside till the temperature drops to 110°F or 43.33°C.

Or until it's just warm to the touch. It takes quite awhile for the temperature to drop that low. So be careful not to burn yourself!

Now's a good time to butter the pan you plan to pour your fudge in. I used a 9" x 9" square pan or a 21 x 21 x 5cm. Use a smaller pan for thicker candy.

Many minutes later... Now that it's cooled it's time to beat it. Get out your mixer or muscles. Preferably your mixer.

This step is going to take some time. You have to beat the mixture until it doesn't shine.

When it's dull and thick, you can quit. It's time to pour and spread.

Soon as it firms up you can cut it.

Makes about 1 3/4 pounds of dark chocolate fudge.

Congrats, you did it.




See you can make this chocolate fudge recipe! It's a pain but not impossible to make homemade candy. The question is do you really want to navigate this minefield?

Or do you prefer to leave it to the professionals? I suggest you give it a try. Put your skills to the test. You just might surprise yourself...pleasantly!

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