Best Vanilla Fudge Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

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Fudge may often be a chocolate affair, but a good vanilla variety can hold its own any day. This treat is great when studded with pecans or macadamia nuts, or extra-pretty when swirled with raspberry jam.

Best Vanilla Fudge Recipe | CDKitchen.com (1)


serves/makes:

ready in:

2-5 hrs

3 reviews
4 comments


ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 can (5 ounce size) evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
broken nuts (optional)

directions

Line an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan or 8x8 pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan.

In saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, milk, and salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low-heat to 238 degrees F, soft-ball stage (this should take 25 to 35 minutes). Immediately remove saucepan from heat.

Add butter and vanilla, but do not stir. Cool mixture, without stirring, to 110 degrees F, lukewarm (about 55 minutes).

Remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon till fudge becomes very thick and just starts to lose its gloss (about 10 minutes total). Do not over-beat. Immediately spread fudge into the prepared pan.

Score into 1-inch squares while warm. Top each square with a piece of nut, if desired. When candy is firm, use the foil to lift the fudge out of the pan. Cut into squares. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

added by

031984

nutrition data

138 calories, 4 grams fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 grams protein per 1 ounce piece. This recipe is low in sodium.



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reviews & comments

  1. Guest Foodie December 11, 2019

    I don’t know what I did wrong because I’ve made toffee many times but my fudge is not even thicker than pudding and won’t thicken

    • CDKitchen Staff Reply:

      Either it wasn't cooked long enough or it wasn't cooled long enough. Either can affect the outcome.

  2. pattycakes REVIEW:
    November 6, 2013

    I got this to work but it took two tries. Here's what I did that worked: First, dissolve the sugar, milks, and salt over medium heat first. Don't boil until the sugar is blended in. I had to buy a new candy thermometer after the first time I tried it because I dropped it so I don't know if may be my thermometer was off the first time or what. I did not let it cool 55 minutes. It was maybe 35 minutes, then I started stirring. The first time it was 55 minutes and like others it was a rock. But I don't know if that was the method of letting the sugar dissolve before boiling or the cooling time. Overall the fudge (finally) turned out decent but it's definitely a finicky recipe. I'm giving it 4 stars purely on taste because if it was method I was rating it would probably be a 2.

  3. Carol December 4, 2011

    I followed this recipe to the letter. I did use a candy thermometer, for the first time. It was the first time I tried to make fudge and was so disappointed because it came out like a rock. When I tried to beat as they said to,after the 55 minutes of cooling to 110 degrees, I couldn't budge anything, it was a solid mass like concrete. My husband used a chisel to break everything apart and I am soaking my pot.I don't know what to say went wrong or how to fix it, since I have never made fudge before and never used a candy thermometer before. Maybe not leaving it sit for 55 minutes would help. Not sure.I do hope someone can figure out what went wrong with this recipe.

  4. Guest Foodie REVIEW:
    August 26, 2011

    I'm learning to make fudge. Some tips that I've learned so far. 1. Test your thermometer to see if it is working properly. Also, if you live at high altitude, for every 1,000 ft subtract 2 degrees from the recipe cooking temperature to achieve soft ball stage. 2. Spray sides of pan and wooden spoon with oil. 3. Have the heat on warm to melt the sugar. Stir and stir. Rub the sugar syrup in between your fingers for smoothness. Don't bring it to a boil before all of sugar is melted.3. Periodically wash off wooden spoon before you put it back into the syrup. This will remove any dried sugar crystals from being reintroduced into the syrup.4. Once sugar is all melted, with a wet pastry brush, brush down the sides of the pan really well several times before the sugar comes to boil. Any sugar crystals remaining on side of pan can fall back into the syrup making it grainy. Maybe add 2 1/2 tablespoons of corn syrup to break down the sugar?5. Keep temp to just boiling. Can't rush fudge. I live at high altitude and it takes me 3 hours to make it. hope this helps....

  5. Brian November 3, 2010

    I have actually made this recipe several times and it works great. Setting like concrete probably means the mixture was heated to too high a temp. At the end of the 55 minutes it should still be soft ball stage.

  6. BUYINGNEWPANS August 15, 2010

    This recipe does not work followed the recipe to the letter everything was fine up until the leaving it to cool for 55 minutes before beating in the butter :O thought this was odd all I got from this recipe was a solid mass in the bottom of the pan with melted butter ontop had to throw out my pan, wooden spoon and anything else I used for this recipe as it was all set like concrete! severley wouldnt recommend this recipe! It was a costly mistake follwing this recipe!!! I think this was either wrongly typed or the poster hadn't actually tried the recipe out?? I think the mistake was in the order of the recipe and the ooling in the middle part all other recipes I have seen add all ingredients together and definately dont have a coool the heated suger and milk for an hour :D I honestly thought this would happen but trusted the poster! I think this recipe could be improved by being totally rethought and tested before posting!!

    • CDKitchen Staff Reply:

      Actually, there are lots of fudge recipes that specify you cool it to 110F before proceeding (which is what this specifies). Did you check it with a candy thermometer?

  7. littlemissxx REVIEW:
    July 20, 2007

    easy to follow recipe which made a mountain of gorgeous fudge. I split the mixture and added a few drops of strong coffee instead of vanilla. A tip i read earlier suggested cream of tartar prevents 'sugaring' will let you know as this will be a much used recipe!I found the best measurement conversion was (esp for those in UK)
    1 cup granulated sugar=200g
    1 cup confectioner/icing sugar=110g
    1 cup evap milk=half pint

');

Best Vanilla Fudge Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

Tips for Making Fudge
  • Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
  • Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
  • Beat Thoroughly.
Mar 8, 2023

What is the key to successful non grainy fudge? ›

The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.

Why is my fudge not hard enough? ›

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.

How do you know when fudge is beaten enough? ›

After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

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).

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.

Should I stir fudge while boiling? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

How do you make fudge not crumbly? ›

If you let your fudge get too hot, the sugars will start to concentrate and the fudge will be crumbly, dull, and hard. To fix it, put it back into the saucepan and add about 3–4 US tbsp (44–59 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the mixture as you heat it until the sugar in the fudge is melted.

Why isn't my fudge creamy? ›

It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough. All of these factors could be the cause of grainy fudge.

Can you fix fudge that didn't harden? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

Can I fix fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft-ball stage? ›

How long does it take to make fudge:
  1. about 18 min to reach boiling.
  2. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
  3. 60 minutes to cool.
  4. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
  5. 4 hours to set.

What happens if you over stir fudge? ›

Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.

Can you over whisk fudge? ›

It could even be because the fudge wasn't beaten long or hard enough. If you are using an electric whisk instead of hand beating your Homemade Fudge it's important to remember that this is a very easy way to overbeat Fudge.

What should fudge look like after beating? ›

The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.

What happens if you stir fudge too early? ›

What Happens if You Stir Too Early (or Too Late) 130F is the magical temperature at which you will get tiny creamy-feeling sugar crystals, and if you start stirring before then, the crystals might never form so your fudge won't have the correct creamy fudge texture.

How do you make fudge get hard? ›

If your fudge fails to harden in the fridge, it means that you probably didn't cook it to the right temperature. Fudge is a candy, and that means it is extremely picky about temperature - fudge must be cooked to precisely 237–239 degrees Fahrenheit so that sugar forms the desired consistency when cooled.

What is traditional fudge made of? ›

At its simplest, fudge is a dense, soft candy, often made with sugar and dairy products like butter and milk. Nowadays, fudge is usually flavored with chocolate, but you can utilize pretty much any flavor, such as peanut butter, pumpkin, even birthday cake.

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