Bittersweet chocolate fudge

[thegreatdane]

Is it possible to make an 'all-dark' fudge; without milk, cream, or butter? (Or marshmallow...)

[Tri2Cook]

I don't know the Rules Of Fudge but I suppose you could use water and/or coffee or something instead of milk. Heat it with sugar and a little glucose, pour it over the chocolate, add some vanilla, emulsify and stir in the nuts (if using). Might take a bit of experimenting to get the texture right.

[thegreatdane]

I was wondering if that would work. What does milk fat and protein do in the recipe?

[Lisa Shock]

They prevent the fudge from being chocolate hard candy.

[Tri2Cook]

I was wondering if that would work.

←

I've never done it so the only appropriate answer I can give is... I don't know. I don't imagine the fat in the milk is a significant factor since cocoa versions and chocolate versions usually both use the same milk despite the chocolate containing more fat than the cocoa. I suppose some cocoa butter could be tossed in to replace the butter but I'm not sure it would actually be necessary. Like I said, I'm not an expert on the subject. Just brainstorming with you.

Edited August 19, 2009 by Tri2Cook (log)

[thegreatdane]

I read somewhere that fudge may've originally been caramel, gone awry. That would explain the milk/cream/butter use. But I wonder if there's something else they provide, other than flavor, of course. Something to do with the crystallization of the sugar?

[Tri2Cook]

I'm willing to use up some ingredients to find out, I hate the words "I don't know" (not that I'm not very familiar with them, I just don't like it). I'll work on it later tonight and let you know how it goes.

[Lisa Shock]

Replacing the recipe's butter with cocoa butter will just give you a bittersweet chocolate bar like you started with. Chocolate is just cocoa solids mixed with cocoa butter according to the buyer's specifications. Adding more cocoa butter to bittersweet chocolate will just give you more chocolate with a different 'split'.

Adding sugar will lower the % of chocolate. If you keep adding more sugar, at some point the chocolate bar (in or out of temper) will simply become chocolate hard candy or a crumbly pile of sugar crystals cocoa butter and cocoa solids -depending on how it's handled.

Fudge is a combination of untempered chocolate with a super-saturated sugar solution. The sugar wants to make large crystals which would give a very grainy, chunky texture. The fats and protein surround the sugar crystals and help keep them small, giving a smooth texture.

The butter also becomes solid at cool room temperature, helping the confection stay together and giving it flexibility.

Related topics include tabling poured fondant, and cooking with chocolate.

Essentially, without the fat & milk, what you will get is chocolate flavor poured fondant. -Which is a perfectly acceptable product. When it has dried and firmed up it has a crumbly texture.

[Tri2Cook]

Essentially, without the fat & milk, what you will get is chocolate flavor poured fondant. -Which is a perfectly acceptable product. When it has dried and firmed up it has a crumbly texture.

←

Some types of fudge have that crumbly "short" texture though, that's why I mentioned that I'm not sure what the Rules Of Fudge are. I was probably in my late teens or early 20's before I ever tasted a fudge that was the creamy version. The fudge I grew up on in the area I lived in was always the grainy (not in a bad way) stuff that was cooked to temp, allowed to cool undisturbed and beat before spreading in a pan or frame. Somewhat similar in texture to the Louisiana pralines. I actually like that type of fudge but rarely make it because the creamy stuff seems to be more popular. To me, the creamy stuff is more like a firm ganache.

[Lisa Shock]

Well, most ganache contains cream or butter and a lot less sugar, usually just what is contained in the original chocolate. So, since there's less of it, the sugar isn't as noticable in terms of mouthfeel, and, it doesn't start out as a super-saturated solution that wants to form large crystals.

[thegreatdane]

So, it seems the proteins in the milk/cream have an important role of keeping the sugar crystals small. I'm thinking of making fudge for a vegan friend and wanted to avoid milk.

[Lisa Shock]

You can try it with certain margarines or shortening, but the mouthfeel won't be there. Food industry people have been trying to do the same thing for a long time to extend shelf life and cut costs. I think there's a reason that you don't see commercial dairy-free fudge.

It's not like, say, shortbread cookies, where you can get a workable, though inferior tasting, product by using shortening.

I'm a vegetarian (I do eat dairy and eggs) and have come to accept that there are certain foods made possible only via animal products (gelatin-based mousses come to mind) that are simply not going to be part of my diet.

[Tri2Cook]

Well, most ganache contains cream or butter and a lot less sugar, usually just what is contained in the original chocolate. So, since there's less of it, the sugar isn't as noticable in terms of mouthfeel, and, it doesn't start out as a super-saturated solution that wants to form large crystals.

←

Agreed, I just meant the texture of some fudge seems closer to a ganache. If I'm not mistaken, fudge is classified as a crystalline confection. Most older versions I've found are cooked to soft ball, cooled and beaten to cause crystallization. I don't know if the creamy, super-smooth fudges are a different type, a more modern preference or the byproduct of trying to make fudge easier to make. Maybe none of the above, maybe somebody just didn't like their fudge crumbly and developed something they liked better.

I think the main thing I want to find out is just how grainy and crumbly the result would be without the milk and butter. I did 2 batches this morning (wasn't able to work it into the schedule last night). Batch 1 is an "old fashioned" fudge (syrup ingredients and unsweetened chocolate cooked to 236 f, cooled to 110 f, add vanilla and beat). Batch 2 is the same with the addition of a bit of margarine along with the vanilla. I'm going to try another version by cooking the syrup, pouring it over the chocolate, emulsifying and pouring. That batch won't be beat to aid crystallization and I will do it both with and without margarine as well.

I'm probably just doing 4 batches of trash can fodder but I'm curious and not particularly busy today. It's raining too hard for a bike ride so I might as well play a bit.

[Lisa Shock]

One of the newer, early 20th century, creamy/smooth kinds of fudge is made with sweetened condensed milk. The basic formula is:

14oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk

16-18 oz dark chocolate or chocolate chips

1tsp vanilla

You simply heat over low heat and mix.

To mimic the canned milk product one could make a heavy sugar syrup that's fairly heavy on corn syrup/glucose to prevent crystallization. Some soymilk powder could be added to the syrup. Margarine could be added to the mix during the melt.

[Tri2Cook]

So here's the results of this round of playing.

Top left: cooked water, sugar, glucose, salt and unsweetened chocolate to 236 f. Cooled it to 110 f. Added vanilla and beat until it began to stiffen then molded and allowed to set for a few hours at room temp.

Bottom left: same as above but added a little margarine with the vanilla.

Top right: cooked water, sugar, glucose and salt to 236 f. poured it over chopped 85% chocolate and some vanilla, mixed it, poured it into the molds and allowed to set for a few hours at room temp.

Bottom right: same as above but added a little margarine with the chocolate and vanilla.

The result is very clean in flavor and not at all crumbly at this point. If anything, it borders on too soft (especially the two with margarine). I think I probably should have went to something more like 240 f. The two without margarine are firm enough that they could be dipped with care but are softer than normal for fudge. The two with margarine are a bit softer than that. I smashed the edge of each type to show that it didn't crumble and it isn't grainy. It's actually quite smooth and creamy so far but I'm going to see how it holds up for a day or two.

The difference between the two methods was minor in appearance. I thought the texture was better in the first method but the flavor was better in the second. I was happy enough with the results that I may try a version combining the two methods by cooking the syrup to 240 f, letting it cool a bit, tossing chopped chocolate on top, letting it cool down to 110 f, adding vanilla and beating.

[thegreatdane]

So here's the results of this round of playing.

Top left: cooked water, sugar, glucose, salt and unsweetened chocolate to 236 f. Cooled it to 110 f. Added vanilla and beat until it began to stiffen then molded and allowed to set for a few hours at room temp.

Bottom left: same as above but added a little margarine with the vanilla.

Top right: cooked water, sugar, glucose and salt to 236 f. poured it over chopped 85% chocolate and some vanilla, mixed it, poured it into the molds and allowed to set for a few hours at room temp.

Bottom right: same as above but added a little margarine with the chocolate and vanilla.

The result is very clean in flavor and not at all crumbly at this point. If anything, it borders on too soft (especially the two with margarine). I think I probably should have went to something more like 240 f. The two without margarine are firm enough that they could be dipped with care but are softer than normal for fudge. The two with margarine are a bit softer than that. I smashed the edge of each type to show that it didn't crumble and it isn't grainy. It's actually quite smooth and creamy so far but I'm going to see how it holds up for a day or two.

The difference between the two methods was minor in appearance. I thought the texture was better in the first method but the flavor was better in the second. I was happy enough with the results that I may try a version combining the two methods by cooking the syrup to 240 f, letting it cool a bit, tossing chopped chocolate on top, letting it cool down to 110 f, adding vanilla and beating.

←

Try2,

It's like you're channeling what I'm thinking! Only, I'm too busy (lazy) and you're not. I'm interested in how they all hold up after a few days. Good work!

[Lisa Shock]

Are any firm enough to cut into squares?

Are the right-hand ones darker, or is it just the photo?

I think the ganache method preserves some chocolate flavor, since chocolate does burn at 120°. In regular fudge, it has a little protection from other ingredients.

The two lower pieces appear to have a cracked crust, is there a crust or is it a result of how they were formed/cut?

[Tri2Cook]

Are any firm enough to cut into squares?

The batches done by the first method are firm enough this morning to cut into squares but still not as firm as fudge should be. I'm pretty sure cooking to a higher temp will solve the problem but have't tried it yet. Those that weren't beaten haven't firmed up any further and are too soft to cut into squares. Also, the batches with the margarine added are both softer than the batches without.

Are the right-hand ones darker, or is it just the photo?

The batches that weren't beaten (the two on the right) are a bit darker.

I think the ganache method preserves some chocolate flavor, since chocolate does burn at 120°. In regular fudge, it has a little protection from other ingredients.

That's what I was thinking as well. That's why I'm going to try a hybrid version of cooking the syrup without the chocolate, tossing the chocolate on top and waiting until the syrup cools then adding the vanilla and beating.

The two lower pieces appear to have a cracked crust, is there a crust or is it a result of how they were formed/cut?

There's no crust at this point but I'm going to keep them at least another day and see what happens.

[Tri2Cook]

Two days at room temp (on plates in large ziplocks). The method 1 batch is firm enough to break cleanly now but still not crusty or crumbly in texture and no grainy crunch from sugar crystals. The method 2 batch is still a little softer than fudge should be. The batches with margarine are still softer than the batches without in both methods. I don't know if this qualifies as fudge among the confections experts or not but that's what I'm calling it and, unless something unexpected happens soon, I'm also calling it a success. I think I'll stick a piece of each in the fridge overnight and see what the texture is like cold.

[gap]

Cool experiment - thanks for sharing

[rooftop1000]

Not that I know anything about candy making but what about a Nougat as a startning point?

T