Best Vanilla Fudge Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

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Fudge may often be a chocolate affair, but a good vanilla variety can hold its own any day. This treat is great when studded with pecans or macadamia nuts, or extra-pretty when swirled with raspberry jam.

serves/makes:

ready in:

2-5 hrs

3 reviews
4 comments

ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 can (5 ounce size) evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
broken nuts (optional)

directions

Line an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan or 8x8 pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; set aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan.

In saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, milk, and salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low-heat to 238 degrees F, soft-ball stage (this should take 25 to 35 minutes). Immediately remove saucepan from heat.

Add butter and vanilla, but do not stir. Cool mixture, without stirring, to 110 degrees F, lukewarm (about 55 minutes).

Remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon till fudge becomes very thick and just starts to lose its gloss (about 10 minutes total). Do not over-beat. Immediately spread fudge into the prepared pan.

added by

031984

nutrition data

138 calories, 4 grams fat, 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 grams protein per 1 ounce piece. This recipe is low in sodium.

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reviews & comments

Guest Foodie December 11, 2019

I donât know what I did wrong because Iâve made toffee many times but my fudge is not even thicker than pudding and wonât thicken
- CDKitchen Staff Reply:
  
  Either it wasn't cooked long enough or it wasn't cooled long enough. Either can affect the outcome.
pattycakes REVIEW:
November 6, 2013

I got this to work but it took two tries. Here's what I did that worked: First, dissolve the sugar, milks, and salt over medium heat first. Don't boil until the sugar is blended in. I had to buy a new candy thermometer after the first time I tried it because I dropped it so I don't know if may be my thermometer was off the first time or what. I did not let it cool 55 minutes. It was maybe 35 minutes, then I started stirring. The first time it was 55 minutes and like others it was a rock. But I don't know if that was the method of letting the sugar dissolve before boiling or the cooling time. Overall the fudge (finally) turned out decent but it's definitely a finicky recipe. I'm giving it 4 stars purely on taste because if it was method I was rating it would probably be a 2.
Carol December 4, 2011

I followed this recipe to the letter. I did use a candy thermometer, for the first time. It was the first time I tried to make fudge and was so disappointed because it came out like a rock. When I tried to beat as they said to,after the 55 minutes of cooling to 110 degrees, I couldn't budge anything, it was a solid mass like concrete. My husband used a chisel to break everything apart and I am soaking my pot.I don't know what to say went wrong or how to fix it, since I have never made fudge before and never used a candy thermometer before. Maybe not leaving it sit for 55 minutes would help. Not sure.I do hope someone can figure out what went wrong with this recipe.
Guest Foodie REVIEW:
August 26, 2011

I'm learning to make fudge. Some tips that I've learned so far. 1. Test your thermometer to see if it is working properly. Also, if you live at high altitude, for every 1,000 ft subtract 2 degrees from the recipe cooking temperature to achieve soft ball stage. 2. Spray sides of pan and wooden spoon with oil. 3. Have the heat on warm to melt the sugar. Stir and stir. Rub the sugar syrup in between your fingers for smoothness. Don't bring it to a boil before all of sugar is melted.3. Periodically wash off wooden spoon before you put it back into the syrup. This will remove any dried sugar crystals from being reintroduced into the syrup.4. Once sugar is all melted, with a wet pastry brush, brush down the sides of the pan really well several times before the sugar comes to boil. Any sugar crystals remaining on side of pan can fall back into the syrup making it grainy. Maybe add 2 1/2 tablespoons of corn syrup to break down the sugar?5. Keep temp to just boiling. Can't rush fudge. I live at high altitude and it takes me 3 hours to make it. hope this helps....
Brian November 3, 2010

I have actually made this recipe several times and it works great. Setting like concrete probably means the mixture was heated to too high a temp. At the end of the 55 minutes it should still be soft ball stage.
BUYINGNEWPANS August 15, 2010

This recipe does not work followed the recipe to the letter everything was fine up until the leaving it to cool for 55 minutes before beating in the butter :O thought this was odd all I got from this recipe was a solid mass in the bottom of the pan with melted butter ontop had to throw out my pan, wooden spoon and anything else I used for this recipe as it was all set like concrete! severley wouldnt recommend this recipe! It was a costly mistake follwing this recipe!!! I think this was either wrongly typed or the poster hadn't actually tried the recipe out?? I think the mistake was in the order of the recipe and the ooling in the middle part all other recipes I have seen add all ingredients together and definately dont have a coool the heated suger and milk for an hour :D I honestly thought this would happen but trusted the poster! I think this recipe could be improved by being totally rethought and tested before posting!!
- CDKitchen Staff Reply:
  
  Actually, there are lots of fudge recipes that specify you cool it to 110F before proceeding (which is what this specifies). Did you check it with a candy thermometer?
littlemissxx REVIEW:
July 20, 2007

easy to follow recipe which made a mountain of gorgeous fudge. I split the mixture and added a few drops of strong coffee instead of vanilla. A tip i read earlier suggested cream of tartar prevents 'sugaring' will let you know as this will be a much used recipe!I found the best measurement conversion was (esp for those in UK)
1 cup granulated sugar=200g
1 cup confectioner/icing sugar=110g
1 cup evap milk=half pint

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