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Question about cooking fudge


Kim Shook

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I am trying to make the world's most irritating fudge. It is the traditional fudge of Mr. Kim's family (why am I making this???). It is not my kind of fudge at all. It calls for lousy chocolate (Baker's), it is gritty, bitter and when considered perfect by them, very dry (to get it dry enough, I actually have to cut it and let it sit out, covered with wax paper for 3 or 4 days). So I hate this stuff, but am trying to make some folks happy for Christmas and I am making it (it is such a PITA that no one in the family has made it for years and when I surprised them with it last year, they were thrilled).

Anyway, here is the question. The recipe calls for mixing the chocolate, evaporated milk and sugar in a saucepan, bringing to a boil (I do this on medium heat), stirring. Covering with a lid for a couple of minutes and then uncovering, boiling to soft ball stage - WITHOUT STIRRING. This part obviously takes a few minutes. Lots of recipes call for this. My question is: How do I prevent it from scorching while it is hot enough to boil for that amount of time without stirring??? I am using a good, heavy saucepan. But at the end of the cooking time, when I stir in the butter and vanilla, it is always scorched on the bottom. Is this normal?

Here is the recipe, if you want to see it:

Kenny's Fudge

Thank you for your help!!

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Somebody smart will be on here to help you soon. I know I have been around people who can make perfect fudge. Y'know like the famous painting. There is such a thing as perfect fudge and perfect fudge makers and as sure as they are annointed I surely missed the annointing. :raz:

I make the fudge soup, :rolleyes: or the rock candy fudge that looks like I scraped it off the surface of Mars, <cough> little dusty. :laugh:

But I will throw out a coupla ideas in the meantime. Maybe use a thermometer. Switch to a no-cook fudge. Buy it somewhere!!! :wink:

No seriously, I'm awaiting some good fudge wisdom too.

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If it's true that misery loves company, then count me in. I tried 2 quite different recipes for fudge in the past week, and they both didn't work. I did use a thermometer, heavy pans, stirred when supposed to and didn't when I wasn't supposed to etc... The end results were some chocolate mess stuck in the bottom of the pan, that actually tasted pretty good when you could chissel off a chunk, and the second batch is sitting in an 8 x 8 pan all in crumbles. :hmmm: I'm hoping that I can figure out something to do with it. Any suggestions are welcome. It was supposed to be maple pecan fudge. At least the crumbs taste good...

Don't waste your time or time will waste you - Muse

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I make the fudge soup,  :rolleyes: or the rock candy fudge that looks like I scraped it off the surface of Mars, <cough> little dusty.  :laugh:

:laugh:

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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I don't know exactly what the problem is with the recipe you're using, but I can point you to a chocolate fudge recipe that has given me very good results: Chocolate Fudge

PS - I can't get to the recipe you linked to right now. Recipecircus must be down.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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Somebody smart will be on here to help you soon. I know I have been around people who can make perfect fudge. Y'know like the famous painting. There is such a thing as perfect fudge and perfect fudge makers and as sure as they are annointed I surely missed the annointing.  :raz:

I make the fudge soup,  :rolleyes: or the rock candy fudge that looks like I scraped it off the surface of Mars, <cough> little dusty.  :laugh:

But I will throw out a coupla ideas in the meantime. Maybe use a thermometer. Switch to a no-cook fudge. Buy it somewhere!!!  :wink:

No seriously, I'm awaiting some good fudge wisdom too.

K8memphis, the rock candy fudge actually sounds like what these crazy people like theirs :raz: !

I actually make a delicious fudge. Creamy, moist and firm. It isn't hard to make, either! It is an old recipe that my great aunt made forever. Foolproof! But its not the kind that my in laws like :rolleyes: .

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stir until it comes to a boil, then turn down to low heat, stir on occasion to make sure it doesn't stick and do not cook to softball. cook it a bit under, we eyeball it, then shock it and let it cool. when you go to seed it add a bit of softened fondant with the butter and vanilla(make sure the butter is also soft), this will improve the texture. then only stir it a bit before you pour it out. don't wait for it to be thick or it will be grainy.

nkaplan@delposto.com
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The point of covering the pan is to steam off any sugar crystals which may be clinging to the sides. If you omit this step, the fudge should turn out grainy, if that's what they like. Overcook it a bit and you should have dry, also.

I can't believe I've just advised someone on how to ruin a recipe. :blink:

Ruth Dondanville aka "ruthcooks"

“Are you making a statement, or are you making dinner?” Mario Batali

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The point of covering the pan is to steam off any sugar crystals which may be clinging to the sides.  If you omit this step, the fudge should turn out grainy, if that's what they like.  Overcook it a bit and you should have dry, also.

I can't believe I've just advised someone on how to ruin a recipe. :blink:

Word. :laugh:

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the second batch is sitting in an 8 x 8 pan all in crumbles.  :hmmm: I'm hoping that I can figure out something to do with it. Any suggestions are welcome. It was supposed to be maple pecan fudge. At least the crumbs taste good...

I bet they would be great folded into some ice cream!

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Thanks for all the advice. I took it and did a little judicious stirring and it didn't burn :laugh: ! Still tastes like crap to me, though :wink: !

I have to tell you that chefette emailed me a recipe and a wonderful set of directions for similar fudge that actually tastes good and I made that today. It is just amazingly good fudge. Rich, complex, creamy. Mr. Kim, who likes his family's fudge LOVED this - and so did I! We'll see what the rest of the family says, but I know this is good stuff (and I am not even a dark chocolate fan). I keep likening it to good wine when you are not a wine connoisseur - you KNOW that you are drinking something different and special, even if you can't articulate what exactly it is. Does that make any sense at all?

Anyway, here is chefette's recipe (in my words):

Chefette's Fudge

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  • 4 years later...
  • 1 month later...

This past weekend I tried making a batch of an old family recipe of fudge (so old the original recipe didn't even include amounts) and ended up with a bowl of Fudge Dust. It seemed fine when cooking the marshmallows, sugar and evaporated milk but when poured over the chopped chocolate, vanilla, butter and nuts, it just seized up and literally turned into chocolate sand.

From the posts in this discussion I am thinking I may have cooked the sugar-milk-marshmallow mixture too long.

Does anyone think that is correct? I'd like to prevent this from happening again.

By the way, we are not throwing the dust out. It's still delicious and it's being used to top everything from ice cream to pumpkin pie. I even made a batch of pinwheels (pie dough rolled out, spread with butter and the fudge dust spread across that then rolled into a pinwheel, sliced and baked). Next time I may omit the butter since the fudge dust already has butter in it but the fudge-y pinwheels got a thumbs up from everyone who tried them.

Who knew?...Fudge Sand Serendipity :laugh:

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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Toliver,I have had my struggles trying to replicate my moms fudge (recipe from the 1950's) based on sketchy measurments and directions. This year, I have finally succeeded. My sister had some of this years fudge at Thanksgiving and exclaimed that it was perfect. First time ever. I will post the recipe below in case it might be of some help. This version is what I typed up for myself, so it is a little bit detailed, sorry if it sounds wordy. The beating with a hand mixer at the end incorporates some air into the fudge so the texture is nice, a little different than typical fudge, I think. This recipe is not gigantic, so comes together quickly and is a nice size to practice on.

Mom's Wonderful Fudge-Simplified

Half Recipe

Low humidity day only—never rainy day!

Chop or grind 1 cup pecans and set aside, or a little more.

Line pan with heavy duty foil and rub with Pam. The pan needed is about 6 x 8 or 8 x 8 or equalivant

Prepare the 2 chocolates, marshmallows and vanilla, in stainless bowl, as stated below, and set aside.

Electric mixer ready and maybe a cold gel pack to be used for the beating stage. Have also ready a large spoon to scoop out the hot fudge into the prepared pan.

In very clean saucepan, combine—

2 ¾ cups sugar

¾ cup half and half

1 Tablespoon, 1 teaspoon butter,

¼ teaspoon salt

Bring slowly to simmer, stirring constantly till dissolved and starts to simmer. Do not rake sides of pan. When simmers, clip warmed up candy thermometer to side of pan, not touch bottom. Then using clean dry spoon, stir occasionally, till candy thermometer reaches about 230 degrees.

Remove from heat and quickly pour into stainless steel bowl which has been prepared with—

2 generous cups miniature marshmallows,

5 ounces milk chocolate bars, broken up, I used-- 4.65 oz, which is 3 bars

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, Toll House

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat with electric mixer till all melted. Then place stainless bowl on a towel covered, cold gel pack and beat till fudge is thick, wrinkles begin to form on surface of fudge as beating and just starts to loose its gloss. Crucial timing here. Want the fudge to be getting thick as is beaten, but one must get the nuts folded in before fudge really starts to set up. Happens very quickly. Have fudge pan ready, large spoon to scoop out, and nuts at room temp.

Fold in nuts, quickly. Spread in prepared pan. Let fudge cool, uncovered, at room temp. Judge the time to cut into squares. Hopefully can cut without fracturing, and pieces will hold crisp shape at room temp.

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  • 5 months later...

I tried another recipe that calls for 2 2/3 cups of sugar and 3/4 of evaporated milk. I stirred and stirred(constantly)on low for half an hour. Hoping this would melt the sugar. The sugar did not want to dissolve. I rubbed the sugar in between my fingers and it was grainy. How long does it take for the sugar to dissolve in your recipe?? Did I rush it? I got it from skaarupfudge.com. I made the crazy Mamie fudge recipe.

Another recipe that I have calls for only 1 2/3 cups of sugar with 2/3 cups of half and half. This recipe I was able to melt all of the sugar with no grainyness. I would like a creamy, melt in your mouth taste. Is the ratio sugar to evaporated milk too much since I want a creamy fudge taste? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks Mandy

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I tried another recipe that calls for 2 2/3 cups of sugar and 3/4 of evaporated milk. I stirred and stirred(constantly)on low for half an hour. Hoping this would melt the sugar. The sugar did not want to dissolve. I rubbed the sugar in between my fingers and it was grainy. How long does it take for the sugar to dissolve in your recipe?? Did I rush it? I got it from skaarupfudge.com. I made the crazy Mamie fudge recipe.

Another recipe that I have calls for only 1 2/3 cups of sugar with 2/3 cups of half and half. This recipe I was able to melt all of the sugar with no grainyness. I would like a creamy, melt in your mouth taste. Is the ratio sugar to evaporated milk too much since I want a creamy fudge taste? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks Mandy

Sounds weird - I would think it should have dissolved.

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I tried another recipe that calls for 2 2/3 cups of sugar and 3/4 of evaporated milk. I stirred and stirred(constantly)on low for half an hour. Hoping this would melt the sugar. The sugar did not want to dissolve. I rubbed the sugar in between my fingers and it was grainy. How long does it take for the sugar to dissolve in your recipe?? Did I rush it? I got it from skaarupfudge.com. I made the crazy Mamie fudge recipe.

Another recipe that I have calls for only 1 2/3 cups of sugar with 2/3 cups of half and half. This recipe I was able to melt all of the sugar with no grainyness. I would like a creamy, melt in your mouth taste. Is the ratio sugar to evaporated milk too much since I want a creamy fudge taste? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks Mandy

Sounds weird - I would think it should have dissolved.

Maybe I did not have the heat up high enough? I had my electric stove on slightly above number 2 and at that temp, it kept the sugar to a slight boil. I live at high altitude so I did not want it up too high because it will cook off water too fast. Maybe I can try it again tomorrow. I can not even eat the fudge. It's like slurping sugar with a straw.

Thanks for your reply. M~

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Mandy, not sure why the sugar would not dissolve.

My fudge recipe, listed here just above, did came out very smooth, no graininess at all and it is pretty similiar to the one you used. My original recipe called for canned milk, but I just sub the half and half instead as I think the canned milk today is very different that what it used to be years ago, and this recipe is from the 60's, maybe earlier. But that is not probably what caused your graininess problem.

Your mixture did come to a simmer and was still grainy? I think that for me, the very last of the graininess finally disappears after the first few minutes that it has been simmering. Maybe having some butter in the pot helps also.

Was it a rainy or very humid weather when you tried the fudge? Weather has made a big difference for me.

There is some sugar out there in stores that is beet sugar rather than cane sugar, not sure if that would make a difference or not. I have had some uncertain results using store brands etc for candy, so I really stick to national brands when I do the fudge. I think some years ago, I bought some Walmart brand sugar and it turned out to be beet sugar, and something or other didn't work out with using it, but I can't remember what it was now.

Not sure if any of these thoughts might help. I had to work at finally getting my fudge to work out just right, practicing on small batches has helped me quite a lot.

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If the sugar did not dissolve, just add some water--maybe 1/4-1/2 cup. You just need enough for the sugar to dissolve. It will cook off and not be a problem. All a thermometer does is tell you how much water is left in the solution. A longer cook time might caramelize more sugar and milk, and invert a bit of the sugar, but in a fudge, that is a good thing. The type of sugar should make no difference. Beet sugar foams a little more than cane, but not enough difference to notice. Don't start a boil until the sugar is all dissolved. If you do, the water is driven off and you have even less to dissolve the sugar. I am at 5000 feet, and as long as I adjust the temperature for altitude, I have no problem. (I have problems, but not with sugar:-)

Ruth Kendrick

Chocolot
Artisan Chocolates and Toffees
www.chocolot.com

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Well,I tried this again today and I had better success. It took a long...45 minutes for the sugar to melt down. I guess when I tried it the other day, I rushed it. I just kept the temp low to almost boiling. I'm at 6,000 feet, so I did not want to cook it too high/fast. Although it has a milky texture, I will still cut back on the sugar. It has a slight after taste of sugar but not bad. Your teeth would come down on a grain of sugar. I don't particularly like that. Maybe it will taste better as it cures? I added the marshmallow cream and I really like the texture that it gave to the fudge. If anyone is interested I got my recipes from http://www.skaarupfudge.com. The crazy Mamie fudge recipe is the one that I tried. Let me know what you think of there recipes?

As it was cooking, once in a while, I took a pastry brush and washed down the sides to help with the grit. But it formed back so quickly. I cleaned the sides before I went to pour it out. I rubbed the sugar syrup in between my fingers and I did not detect the grittiness. Maybe some crystals from the side of the pan found there way into the hot syrup?

The other recipe that I got for fudge is at www.baking911.com. They also have other great cooking tips. I really like her creamy fudge recipe there. This one just melts in your mouth, really creamy! (It does not take the marshmallow cream) I may just stick to this one.

Thank you for all that wrote. I appreciate the tips that more experienced candy makers have!! Tomorrow I will try caramel....

Thanks again...Mandy

Edited by Mandy (log)
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  • 4 years later...
I've posted about this before but haven't found a decent solution/recipe.

 

My mom swears that Christmas fudge is supposed to be shiny. I think she isn't remembering correctly. Fudge is shiny when you pour it into the pan for it to cool, but as it cools, the fudge absorbs the butter/fat and the shine/sheen goes away. That's it's nature.

 

I'm looking for a trick, something as simple as some sort of liquid chocolate recipe/ganache I can brush on top of the fudge, to fool my mom into thinking the fudge is finally shiny. She won't be in the kitchen when I make it for her so she doesn't have to know it's a charade. 

Yes, I am shameless in that I want to fool her, but in the end she will finally be happy with her shiny fudge and I can finally stop trying endless recipes that don't solve the "shiny" issue.

Does anyone have a suggestion/trick to add shine to the top of the fudge? Thanks in advance.

 

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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I had thought something like a melted square of chocolate painted on top but didn't think it would re-solidify/dry with a shine.

Spray with panspray?

How simple! I will have to see if it imparts any kind of flavor before brushing it onto the fudge. She would never guess how I did it. And I certainly don't feel bad about the con game. Thanks!

 

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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