Fudge is a delicious treat that millions of people around the world love to buy and eat. There are lots of people that enjoy making fudge as well. You can make either traditional or quick fudge in any flavor of your choice.
However, waiting for your fudge to set can be one of the most time consuming things. Therefore you may have wondered if freezing your fudge will make it set quicker.
Continue reading to learn if you can freeze your fudge to make it set, or if there is something else you should be doing to help you fudge set.
Fudge Setting Time
This can differ depending on the recipe that you are using, so you should always follow your recipe for the setting time of your fudge. However, typically, once the fudge has been poured into your prepared tin, the fudge should take a minimum of a few hours to harden.
Some recipes may ask you to wait overnight for the fudge to harden. You want your fudge to set completely firm to the touch.
Therefore, you can then cut through the fudge really easily, without the knife getting stuck or the fudge itself breaking apart. Sometimes, with traditional fudge, you need to make sure that you beat your fudge to the right consistency so that it sets correctly.
What Happens If I Freeze Fudge?
Normally, fudge is put into the freezer as a way to store leftover fudge for another day. Fudge that is put into the freezer to store, is cold and has already set. However, if you are impatient or concerned that your fudge might not be setting correctly, then you may be tempted to put your hot fudge into the freezer.
Unfortunately, fudge that is put into the freezer to set won’t work. A lot of people have tried and the results have varied from person to person. You can try but you will most likely find that the end result of the fudge isn’t what you were expecting as you are rushing the cooling process.
There are some bakers who have used the freezer to set their fudge, however by putting your fudge in the freezer your fudge will set hard. Unless you prefer very hard fudge, fudge that is set in the freezer won’t have the same smooth texture that you are looking for.
As a result, freezing your fudge will make it set, but it will give your fudge a different texture than a lot of other fudges that have been left at room temperature to set.
There have been more recipes over the years that have been specially designed to set your fudge in the freezer. However you’ll notice that this fudge has a different texture – it is normally a lot denser.
Storing fudge in the freezer is better than putting your fudge in the freezer to set.
How Long Does Fudge Last In The Freezer?
As long as you have properly wrapped and protected your fudge, then your fudge should last for quite a while in your freezer.
It can last up to several months, so you can have fudge all year around. Some kinds of fudge (depending on the flavorings), can taste a bit different after freezing, but this is just due to the freezing process.
When you want a piece of fudge, you can get it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours. It will then be ready to eat. Therefore, you can have fudge whenever you want.
Can You Put Fudge In The Fridge To Set?
You don’t want to dramatically reduce the temperature of your fudge, as this can affect the texture and consistency of your final fudge. This is why freezing your fudge to make it set isn’t ideal as the dramatic change in temperature affects the fudge.
However, putting your fudge in the fridge instead of freezing to make it set is seen in a lot of recipes. Putting your fudge in the fridge speeds up the setting process, and it isn’t as harsh of a temperature change.
Yet even this sudden temperature change can affect your fudge. Therefore it is better to place your fudge in the fridge after it has already cooled.
Why Isn’t Your Fudge Setting?
How To Set Your Fudge
In Summary
You can freeze fudge to make it set, however, freezing the fudge will affect the texture and consistency of your fudge. The consistency will become a lot denser and depending on how long you leave the fudge in the fridge, the fudge will be naturally a lot harder than normal fudge.
Therefore, it is recommended that you don’t put fudge in the freezer to set. You should leave your fudge out at room temperature to naturally set and then only use the freezer to store any leftover you may have.
