Fudge is a sweet treat that is perfect for holiday or party occasions. These delicious cubes can be super sweet, or soft and creamy, depending on how they are prepared and cooked.
Most people’s love affair with fudge likely began with the store-bought cubes that can be found in many stores, or perhaps you enjoyed frequent trips to the candy store. But trust us when we say that fudge always tastes better when it is homemade.
The issue with making homemade fudge is that for someone who has never done it before the whole cooking process can be more difficult than you may first expect, even if the whole process can be condensed into just three steps.
Knowing how long to boil fudge fudge can be a tricky task. You should boil fudge for 10- 15 minutes or until it at 234 and 237 °F/ 112 and 114 °C on a candy thermometer. This is crucial as boiling the fudge any more or less will change the sugar molecule structure. By doing this and then cooling and beating the fudge should be perfect.
Here we will be answering all of the important questions you may have about cooking fudge, starting with the most asked one…
How Long Should I Boil The Fudge For
This is a question that almost all fist time fudge makers will ask. After all, this is possible to most vital step in the whole process, and the part where you are most likely to burn the mixture.
This step of the process is used to concentrate the sugar in the mixture to give the fudge that characteristic sweet taste, while also letting a lot of the liquid evaporate so that your final product is not slimy or gooey.
The answer to this is very simple though.
You should boil your fudge for 10-15 minutes, making sure that you stir constantly through that time so that the mixture does not stick to the sides or the bottom of that pot, and that it all combines correctly. Stirring will also prevent burning.
How long you should boil the mixture for is not the main factor you should focus on when making fudge though, even if it seems like the most important step. What you really need to concentrate on is the temperature.
What Temperature Should I Cook Fudge At?
The temperature of your mixtures, both in the cooking and cooling stages of the process, will determine what your fudge looks like, and more importantly what it tastes like.
The best temperate you can cook fudge at is around 234 and 237 °F/ 112 and 114 °C.
This is the temperature that allows for the correct amount of water to evaporate while also keeping enough in so that the final fudge will not be too soft or hard. It also allows the sugar to concentrate correctly.
What If Fudge Is Undercooked?
If the fudge is cooked below the intended temperature, then you will notice that there will be too much leftover water in the mixture, meaning that the resulting fudge will be too soft.
The sugar will also not be concentrated enough, so you won’t get that sweet kick that you want from the fudge.
But don’t worry, there is a way to save the mixture so that this batch won’t be a waste. For this, you will need to have 35% cream to hand. Move the mixture into a saucepan, and add 1-2 tablespoons of the cream (or 30ml).
Bring this mixture to a boil, and stir constantly until you see that all of the sugar is melted. Then let boil until the temperature reaches 234 and 237 °F/ 112 and 114 °C. After this, you should have perfect fudge again.
What If Fudge Is Overcooked?
If you have cooked the fudge above the correct temperature, then there will not be enough water left to create the right texture of syrup. The sugar crystals will also be too concentrated.
The result will be that you will be left with brittle and hard fudge, which is not tasty at all.
Luckily though, like when the mixture is undercooked, there is a way to save it, and it is the exact same method you would use if it was undercooked as well.
In this instance, the cream is used to provide more moisture to the mixture, which helps the syrup to develop, and will leave you with the desired smooth and soft fudge.
Should I Let It Cool Before Beating?
Yes, you should let this mixture cool for at least 15 minutes before you start the beating process. As you can see, temperature plays a large part in how the fudge will turn out.
If you beat the mixture when hot, you will make the sugar crystals much large, so much so that it may end up looking like regular sugar again.
This will make your fudge look and taste grainy or sandy, fortunately, If your mixture has ended up like this you will do not need to throw it away and start again. You can reboil the fudge mixture with water. Read more in this article about Why Is My Fudge Hard? .
By letting the mixture cool for 15 minutes or more, you will allow it to thicken up. This means that when you start the beating process, the sugar crystals will struggle to stick together in big clumps, avoiding the grainy texture.
You will know when the fudge is ready for the beating when it feels warm but not hot. If you want a more accurate time, then you should beat the mixture when the temperature is around 109 to 113 °F/ 43 to 45 °C.
Having thermometer is helpful
Given how important temperate is to the outcome of your fudge, having a thermometer to hand is essential. The correct temperature is not something that you can measure by eye, and you will want to avoid touching the mixture or you may burn yourself.
While we can say that you should boil the fudge for 10-15 minutes, there are too many variables that may raise or lower this time, such as the intensity of the heat on your stove or microwave.
The pan size will also make a difference, as the bigger the pan the faster evaporation will occur.
This is why you can use these timings as a rough guide, but to be completely accurate and to get the best fudge possible, you should always rely on a thermometer when cooking this sweet treat. On the other hand, you can use the What Is The ‘Soft Ball Stage’ In Fudge Making? method to test whether the fudge is ready for the beating stage.
In Summary
Knowing when to stop boiling fudge is important for the texture and setting of the finished product. We hope we’ve managed to guide through this fudge boiling process for successful fudge every time.
