How long fudge cool

Do not mess with the recipe. The proportions matter in the chemistry of fudge making. Measuring ingredients has to be precise, as too much or too little of any ingredient could ruin the fudge. Never double the recipe or substitute main recipe ingredients except for add-ins such as nuts or dried fruit , as it will affect the cooking time and temperature. Failure of the fudge to set, is most typically the result of way too much butter or the substitution of an inferior margarine for superior butte.

Cool at room temperature or placing the pan in a room temperature bath of water. Room Temperature: Fudge stored at room temperature in an air-tight container will last 7 to 14 days. See below for instructions on how to test for the soft-ball stage. Drop a little of the boiling syrup into a glass of cold water. Remove a few of the drops of syrup and rub between your thumb and forefinger. If it forms a small ball that can be easily flattened between your fingers, it is at the soft-ball stage and should be removed from the heat.

If the drops dissolve or just form threads between your fingers, the sugar syrup has not reached a soft-ball stage and needs additional boiling. If the drops form a firm ball that resists flattening or hard ball, the syrup has boiled too long. For more information on testing the different stages of sugar, see How to Test Stages of Sugar Cooking. Place your flavoring ingredients into a separate bowl and pour the sugar syrup into these ingredients.

Do not scrape the sides of the pan or you may be scraping the sugar crystals into the flavor ingredients, which would cause the fudge to crystallize. There are many additional ingredients that can be added to provide different flavors to the fudge but it does not have to have anything else added to be good.

See the tips below on added additional ingredients. If you are going to experiment with the addition of other ingredients, be sure to keep in mind that you have to be careful of the water content of the ingredient you are trying. If it is going to add water or moisture to your fudge, do not use it.

You can add a combination of ingredients but be careful that they compliment each other and that you will not be taking away from the flavor of the fudge itself. When transferring the finished fudge to the foil lined baking pan, do not scrape the sides or bottom of the pan as you are pouring it in.

This will help prevent getting any sugar crystals that may have formed along the sides or bottom from getting into the fudge.

When the fudge is done, allow it to slowly cool down. Cooling it too fast may cause the sugar to crystallize, causing the fudge to be grainy. Follow the recipe closely. Add ingredients in the order stated and follow all directions carefully. Fudge Flavoring There are other flavors besides chocolate that can be used for fudge but chocolate is the most common flavor used.

Flavor Ingredient How to Use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips are considered a medium chocolate and are probably the most common flavoring agents used for making fudge. They are the base for other levels of chocolate.

Milk Chocolate Chips - Use half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips to create milk chocolate fudge. Other ingredients do not need to be adjusted. Unsweetened Chocolate - For a richer dark chocolate, add 2 oz. Do not reduce the quantity of semi-sweet chocolate chips and the other ingredients do not need to be adjusted.

Vanilla Chips - Substitute vanilla white chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce vanilla flavored fudge. When substituting the white chips, also reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons. Peanut Butter Chips - Substitute peanut butter chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce a peanut butter flavored fudge.

When substituting the peanut butter chips, also reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons. Butterscotch Chips - Substitute butterscotch chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips in equal quantity to produce butterscotch flavored fudge. When substituting the butterscotch chips, also reduce the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons. Pumpkin - Use canned pumpkin to make pumpkin flavored fudge. Follow ingredients and recipe directions when making pumpkin fudge. See Pumpkin Fudge below.

Because extract is such a concentrated flavor be careful when adding. Measure carefully because a little too much can have a big affect on the flavor of the fudge. Be sure, when selecting a flavor, that you select one that compliments the flavor of the type of fudge being made. Allow a little excess foil and then spraying the foil lightly with non-stick cooking spray. If the spray gets too heavy, blot with a paper towel to remove excess. Set the prepared pan aside until the fudge is done.

In a heat-proof bowl, place the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme and vanilla. Set this bowl aside. Measure out the almonds and have them ready to add later. Leave them whole or chop them if desired. Have the butter cut up into smaller chunks so that they will melt faster when added. Pour the evaporated milk into a saucepan, warm slightly, and then add the sugar. Over medium high heat, bring the milk and sugar mixture to a full boil. Be sure to stir continuely.

Use a wooden spoon that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray for best results. Once the mixture comes to a full rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium; be sure to maintain a rolling boil. Place the candy thermometer into the pan. Stir gently throughout the entire boiling time. Note: If you do not have a candy thermometer, allow the mixture to boil for 7 or 8 minutes but do not exceed 9 minutes.

Stir just until the butter is melted and then discontinue stirring. Pour the hot mixture into the bowl with the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, and vanilla. Do not scrape the bottom or sides of the pan when pouring into the bowl. Stir all these ingredients together until the chocolate chips are melted.

Add the almonds and still until evenly mixed and the fudge begins to loose its glossiness. Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Allow the fudge to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, it is ready to cut. Note: To make the fudge a little easier to cut into squares, chill it in the refrigerator for a while after it has been completely cooled at room temperature. Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting it out using the excess foil on the sides.

Flip the fudge over and place it on a cutting board top side down. The fudge is then ready to enjoy or to be packaged up and given as gifts. When making fudge, be sure to follow whatever recipe you are using very closely. It will make the differance in whether or not you are successful in your efforts.

In a heat-proof bowl, place the marshmallow creme, white chocolate chips, and vanilla. Measure out the butter cut up into smaller chunks and set aside to be added later.

The soft marshmallows in this rocky road fudge , compliment the creamy nature of the chocolate for a great tasting fudge. Also be sure to use good quality pure vanilla extract not the cheaper imitation flavor and full cream butter. These ingredients make a huge difference in the taste of the finished fudge recipe. Regular milk has a tendency to curdle at high heat.

Try to find recipes that call for evaporated milk or cream instead. If you want a fudge that is sure to set, try a recipe with this ingredient in it. This is a good rule of thumb for any recipe, but for fudge, which can sometimes set quickly, it is extra important. Doing this will also make sure that you have everything you need to actually make the fudge. The answer is yes and no. Sugar has a tendency to crystallize when cooked to a high temperature.

This happens whether you make fudge in the microwave or on the stove top. Stirring is part of the procedure in either case while the mixture is brought to a boil, but only until this point. If you continue stirring through the rest of the cooking process, you will cause over crystallization and the fudge will become grainy. Remember, if you scrape the edges of the cooking pan when you remove the fudge, it may allow sugar crystals to mix with the fudge ingredients. A way to avoid the issue of crystallization is to coat the sides of your pan with a brush dipped in water before you start the cooking process.

That is part of the fun of fudge making! Surprisingly, humidity can affect fudge making. On humid days, the candy mixture can start reabsorbing moisture from the air. This will make your fudge softer than you would like it to be. Cool weather is also recommended for making perfect fudge, which is why so many fudge recipes are made in the colder months.

Many cheap cooking thermometers are notoriously inaccurate. Be sure to test yours before you begin for best results. To test a thermometer, bring water to the boiling point and insert the thermometer into the water, being sure not to let it touch the bottom of the pan. Let the temperature rise until the water boils.

Trying to make something like caramel style fudge requires a very good quality candy thermometer for best results. One trick my mother taught me is to place water in the sink and then set the pan of fudge into the water while you beat it. Many professional fudge makers pour the fudge mixture onto a marble slab to get it to cool.

The marble allows the fudge to cool evenly and quickly. Just as not stirring was important during the cooking stage, beating now is very important. Stirring controls the size of the sugar crystals that form and this keeps the fudge from getting grainy.

If the ingredients have a high amount of water in them, this will affect the consistency and the fudge may not set well. Be sure that the ingredients go well together like the peanut butter and chocolate in this buckeye fudge. Another thing to keep in mind when you are adding nuts or fruit to your fudge is their temperature.

It is advised to warm them slightly in a microwave before adding them. Sure, we all want a piece of that homemade fudge NOW…but cooling it too quickly can cause crystallization and a grainy fudge. Allow the finished fudge to cool at room temperature for a while to set. The cooling time depends on the ingredients used, so use the instructions in your recipe for guidance.

Be sure the fudge has completely set before you try to cut it to give you those perfectly shaped edges. Clean the knife from time to time between cuts, as well. This pistachio nut fudge has a professional look to it, in great part by the perfectly straight edges. This will make cutting it into even squares easier, later, when the fudge has set. If you go to the trouble to make perfect fudge, you will want to store it properly.

To keep homemade fudge at its best, cover it tightly with waxed paper, foil, or clear plastic wrap. Fudge can also be frozen for later use. Some fudge has a tendency to be sticky. If you store it in layers, add wax paper or parchment paper between the layers. Check out this post to learn more uses for parchment paper. Putting the fudge in individual baggies inside of gift boxes is helpful for protecting homemade fudge that will be given as gifts.

An added bonus is that the fudge will retain its freshness better. In spite of the right tools and techniques, achieving a foolproof fudge can still be a challenge. 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.

Here are some tips for getting those results and fixing problems. This evaporates part of the liquid and makes sure that the fudge is neither too hard or too soft. This has been my most common problem with fudge. Guessing just does not work, for me at least with fudge. If you end up with fudge that is too soft, you can make truffles out of the mixture and roll them in coatings.

If you want to save the fudge, return it to the pan, add about 2 tablespoons of cream and bring it to a boil. This means that the fudge will have reached too high a temperature.

There will not be enough liquid left to form sugar crystals. To save a fudge recipe where this happens, add about 4 tablespoons of cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Grainy fudge is caused by one of three problems: overcooking, over beating or neglecting to cool it properly.

Then start the entire cooking process over, being more careful about the heat, beating and cooling steps. Often, these recipes do not require long cooking on the stove.

These fudge recipes are almost always foolproof. They are also very, very sweet. Sometimes, your ingredients will let you down. Have you ever started a brown sugar fudge recipe only to discover that your brown sugar has hardened? No problem! These 6 easy tips for softening brown sugar are sure to help. When your finished fudge is too stiff, kneading it in your hands will soften in slightly. Then, you can press it into a pan or roll it into a long log and slice it.

Once the fudge has been cooked, has thickened and any extra ingredients added, it will normally set in about 3 hours. You can also make it in the evening and allow it to set overnight.

As tempting as it might be to rush your fudge making project by putting it in the fridge to harden more quickly, resist this urge. Cooling fudge too rapidly can cause sugar crystallization to occur too soon.

This causes a grainy fudge. Placing fudge in the fridge while it is still soft also allows it to pick up other flavors from the fridge and causes it to dry out more quickly.

The fudge is made in the microwave and comes out perfectly every time.. It really is fool proof even if all your fudge recipes fail! Would you like a reminder of these tips for foolproof fudge? Just pin this image to one of your dessert boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later. But be careful. Once your family tastes these, you will be their go-to person for fudge making!

Easy Dark Chocolate Fudge. Pumpkin Spice Fudge. Pecan Fudge with Candy Corn. Easy Gingerbread Fudge.