How to make fudge

Peanut butter fudge recipe

How to make fudge

8 December 2014

How to make fudge

Often associated with Devon and Cornwall, it might surprise some people to discover that fudge is actually an American creation with the first recorded recipe dating back to the 1800s from a student at Vassar college in New York. Fudge is only made with a few ingredients and is relatively simple to make, although you will need a sugar thermometer – a worthy investment for anyone with a sweet tooth. Fudge is often served as part of petit four, but also makes a fantastic edible gift or – if you can’t wait for a particular occasion – a delicious sweet treat. Once made a batch of fudge will keep for a couple of weeks refrigerated and stored in an airtight container.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

  • 50g of butter
  • 300g of caster sugar
  • 50g of golden syrup
  • 170g of evaporated milk
  • 1 pinch of salt
1
Line a 16cm square tin with baking paper
2
Combine all the ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan
3
Heat gently until the butter has melted then increase the heat
4
Stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan, heat until it reaches 116°C on a sugar thermometer
5
Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then beat the fudge for approximately 5 minutes using a wooden spoon until it loses its glossy shine
6
Pour the fudge mixture into the tin and place in the fridge for an hour to set
7
Cut into 2cm square pieces

Variations

There are endless possibilities when it comes to flavouring your fudge – chocolate is probably one of the most popular closely followed by lemon, clotted cream and rum and raisin.

Alcohol works well in fudge, try adding a little whisky, Baileys or Cointreau after you’ve mastered the basic recipe and experiment with different flavour combinations.

Dried fruits such as cranberries and apricots make great additions to fudge as seen in this recipe for White chocolate and cranberry for a festive treat. To add a punchy kick to your fudge you can use lemon zest, lime zest or even spices as Paul Foster does in his Chocolate and cumin fudge recipe.

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