Fudge Recipes For The Holidays (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

After years of testing recipes, we're pretty sure we have a handle on the most popular fudge flavors, but chocolate and cherry will always rank high on the list.

Add a simple wooden or paper stick, some transparent gauze wrapping, a bow and a creative label to any piece of fudge, and you've now got something that looks more like an expensive candy apple than a humble square of fudge.

Make Ahead – You can make fudge weeks ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. I like to make a big batch and include it on plates of goodies to friends and neighbors.

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

While fudge was not invented on Mackinac Island, it most certainly – and most deliciously – was perfected here.

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Mackinac Island didn't invent fudge, but it did turn it into a delightful slice of Americana. The sugar candy treat was purportedly invented in the 1880s in Baltimore, Maryland. According to culinary legend, a hapless baker discovered the treat when they “fudged” a batch of caramel.

Place the fudges in small trays together with random cuts of your desserts and fruits. Note: Put the big fruits first. Arrange your christmas puddings at your round cake stand with lid. Drop some wafer sticks on your metal bowl.

Should fudge be kept in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Fudge is best stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks wrapped up in its original wax paper. NEVER REFRIGERATE your fudge as this will draw out the moisture and leave you with dry, crumbly fudge.

The best way to store fudge is to keep it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with wax paper, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap. This will help prevent the fudge from drying out or developing a slimy texture.

If fudge experiences a change in temperature, it can melt or develop a slimy texture on the surface. If it is exposed to air, it can dry out and become hard. Specific add-ins to fudge have the potential to grow mold or give off a bad odor, and at that point, the fudge should be avoided.

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.

How Long Does it Last in The Fridge & Freezer? Homemade Fudge stored in the fridge or refrigerator lasts about 2 - 3 weeks. It provides the cool temperature that this type of fudge exactly demands. The only real time you might need to refrigerate proper fudge is if weather conditions are extremely hot.

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

Cooking. Cooking is necessary to dissolve sugar crystals and to evaporate part of the water in the cream. The length of this step has a direct impact on the firmness of the fudge. As water gradually evaporates, sugar is concentrated and the temperature of the mixture rises above 100°C (212°F).

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!