When you are making your own fudge, you can encounter some problems. You might think that making some fudge is relatively straightforward, that it isn’t likely to cause you too many problems. However, if you aren’t careful then you can have all kinds of issues related to making fudge.
For example, one of the most common problems is if your fudge is sticky. Now stickiness and fudge can go hand in hand when you are making the mixture and boiling it, however when you are as near to completing your fudge as feasible it should be as dry and lacking in stick as possible.
Sticky fudge is often a sign that something has gone wrong in the cooking process.
However, all is not lost. This piece will explain how to cut fudge without it sticking and all help you to understand why your fudge might be sticking and how to stop it.
Why Does Fudge Stick?
First of all, let’s explain exactly why fudge sticks in the first place before discussing how to cut it if it is sticky. The reason that fudge sticks generally is because it either hasn’t been cooked properly or because you haven’t used non-stick foil or parchment paper.
Because fudge is made up of ingredients like sugar, caramel and milk, it has a tendency to get extraordinary stick when you are cooking it, particularly if you get it to a temperature where it melts and forms a mush but doesn’t manage to cool enough to become edible pieces of fudge.
The best way to ensure that you fudge doesn’t stick is to invest in a candy thermometer, like for example the excellent Taylor Precision Products candy thermometer.
Candy thermometers are specially designed to ensure that you get the right temperature for your food when you are cooking with a deep bottomed pan.
This means they are particularly useful for fudge because sometimes fudge can be overcooked (which melts the butter and makes the fudge too oily on top) or it can be undercooked (in which case the fudge becomes extremely sticky).
The Taylor Precision Products candy thermometer is particularly well equipped for this task because thanks to its insulated handle and pan clip it can be used on any pan no matter its size.
Now that we’ve explained why fudge becomes sticky and what measures to take to prevent it, let’s discuss how to cut fudge without it sticking.
How To Cut Fudge Without It Sticking
Sometimes, even despite your best attempts, your fudge will stick. It could not be because of any fault of your own but rather due to an impurity in one of your ingredients. However, you can still salvage something from your fudge even if it is sticky.
First of all, make sure you have a good counter in which to put the fudge to cut it. Having a clean and open surface space is imperative to ensuring that you have an area that is perfect for cutting your fudge without it getting potentially broken or falling on the floor because your counter is too full.
The next step is to transfer your warm fudge from the hot pan to a cooling pan as your fudge needs to cool and naturally harden before you can cut it. If you attempt to cut your fudge straight from the cooking pan, then you will only end up burning yourself and losing all your hard work.
Once your fudge has been in the cooling pan for a set amount of time and properly cooled, then it is time for you to get out everything you need to cut your fudge. Get yourself a grid with straightened edges and set it out on your work counter.
Take it and use the straightened edge to score the fudge before you use a knife to cut the fudge into equal pieces. This will leave you with uniform pieces of fudge and it should also ensure that your fudge doesn’t get too sticky if you are intent on cutting it.
By scoring the fudge with the grid you will be able to tell whether or not the fudge has cooled enough.
If, when you are scoring the fudge, its texture seems sticky and resistant to being scored properly then you should properly leave the fudge to cool for a while longer in order to ensure that it is as solid as possible.
If the fudge seems to have cooled but is still sticky when you are cutting it, depending on the stickiness you can do two things. If the fudge is extremely sticky and will not set as a solid mass, then you need to cool it as much as possible.
You could try to freeze it; this isn’t advised as it end up making the fudge too solid to cut at all and lacks taste.
If the fudge is only slightly sticky after you have given it extra time to cool, then it should be alright to simply cut it into the sections you want.
However, you should then leave the fudge to cool for another period of time (an extra twenty minutes should do it) in order for it to be completely perfect.
The best way to prevent you having issues with sticky fudge is of course to ensure that you cook it properly and that you use non-stick paper on the sides of the pan.
Why You Should Try Your Hand At Making Fudge
Having a sweet treat can be one of the most enjoyable experiences any of us can have. Simply tucking into a sweet snack after a hard day’s work can be a reward in itself.
It can feel even more rewarding, however, if you are having a sweet treat that you have made yourself then this adds to the delight you must feel.
Making your fudge not only ensures that you have a practical real-world skill but one that can be used to create great tasting food for you and your family and friends.
It can also help you to relax and improve your mental health by allowing you to have a soothing, creative outlet. So if you have considered making fudge in the past but never done so, then now is the time to put your doubts aside and start making some fudge.
In Summary
Fudge shouldn’t cause you trouble just before you’re about to serve it. With a good quality knife and if the fudge has been cooked and set correctly, the fudge shouldn’t stick to the knife. That being said, in this post we hope that we have covered the solutions to end the trouble of fudge that sticks.
