The ingredients for fudge are combined and cooked to 234 degrees, cooled to 110 degrees without stirring, then beaten until creamy. Candy that isn’t cooked long enough will end up too soft; overcooking makes fudge crumbly or hard.
Can you fix overcooked fudge?
If your fudge is tough, hard, or grainy, then you may have made one of several mistakes: You may have overcooked it, beaten it too long, or neglected to cool it to the proper temperature. … Scrape the fudge back into a large saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir the fudge over low heat until it dissolves.
Can you cook fudge too long?
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.
What happens if you cook fudge too hot?
Too cooked
At this temperature, the sugar is too concentrated and there is not enough water left to form syrup around sugar crystals. The result is hard and brittle fudge.
How long should fudge be cooked?
Start checking the fudge for doneness after 10 minutes of boiling. If you are using a thermometer, your fudge is ready when it reaches 235°F. Or go old-school and use the soft ball test. Using a metal spoon, drizzle a little fudge in a cup of ice water.
What causes fudge not to harden?
In many cases, the sugar, butter, and milk mixture needed to be cooked longer or to a hotter temperature. That’s usually the culprit when fudge doesn’t set. You can try reheating your fudge mixture by adding a little more evaporated milk and bringing it slowly back to the boil.
How do you fix fudge like toffee?
To reset soft fudge, return it to the pot and add in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water per batch of fudge. Reheat your fudge until it reaches the soft-ball stage. Repeat the steps of cooling and stirring, although you will likely not need to add extra seasoning.
How long should fudge cool before stirring?
Cool the fudge for 50 to 70 minutes until the temperature registers 110 degrees on the candy thermometer and the bottom of the pot feels lukewarm to the touch. Do not disturb the fudge during the cooling process. 2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla.
Why has my fudge turned to toffee?
If you boil the fudge to a temperature lower than 232 F, your fudge will retain extra moisture, which can make it chewy or in extreme cases, prevent it from setting at all. If the temperature goes much beyond 234 F, the fudge’s final texture will be hard, dry and crumbly.
What does fudge look like when it’s ready?
The fudge is ready when a candy thermometer reads between 112 to 114 °C (234 to 237 °F) or the mixture forms a soft ball in cold water. Let the mixture cool before beating. … The fudge should be warm but not burning hot. Stop beating when the surface of the mixture starts to look dull or matte.
Why is my fudge like caramel?
Fudge often turns into a chewy caramel-like texture because incorrect temperatures were reached. The ideal temperature for the fudge to cook at is 232-234°F (111-112°C). Anything more or less will change the texture completely.
How do you know when fudge is done without a thermometer?
At first the sugar syrup is stringy and shapeless, but after several tests it starts to hold its shape. When it reaches the stage that it can be formed into a soft ball, then you know that your fudge is ready and you can take it off the heat!
What consistency should fudge be before it sets?
Fudge problems can range from too soft, to gritty, grainy or too sticky. Ideally, you want a firm consistency that hardens well, cuts well and is not too sticky. (like this peanut butter swirl fudge.)
What does boil to soft ball stage mean?
As a sugar syrup is cooked, water boils away, the sugar concentration increases, and the temperature rises. … For example, at 235° F, the syrup is at the “soft-ball” stage. That means that when you drop a bit of it into cold water to cool it down, it will form a soft ball.
Why does my fudge taste grainy?
A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. … The more you stir, the more crystal seeds you get. But instead of getting a few huge crystals (and grainy candy), you get lots and lots of tiny crystals, which make for thick, smooth candy.
How long does it take for fudge to reach soft ball stage?
You can also test for soft ball stage by using a glass of cold water. When the fudge has boiled for about 10 minutes start to test by dropping a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water. If the mixture forms a thread as it sinks into the water then it needs cooking for a little longer.