How To Fix Grainy And Overcooked Fudge So It's Soft Again (2024)
Brian Udall
·2 min read
It's the holiday season, and you've made a batch of fudgefor friends and family, but you've just had a bite, and the texture is off. It tastes fine, except there's a graininess or a grittiness to the fudge that's unpleasant. Or, maybe the fudge is hard, brittle, and overcooked. The grittiness comes from sugar crystals that didn't dissolve into the fudge during the cooking process. Hard and overcooked fudge isn't great, either, but before you throw the whole pan out, try this simple trick.
For both problems, you'll need to melt the fudge back down to allow the sugar crystals to properly dissolve or to allow the overcooked fudge to soften up again. It may seem counterintuitive to cook overcooked fudge even more, but trust us, you just need to start the fudge over from scratch. Of course, if the fudge is burnt, that's a different problem, and cooking it again won't remove the burnt flavor. Grab the saucepan that you initially used to cook the fudge and toss the fudge back in along with 1 ½ cups of water and a splash of cream. Adding some cream of tartar is a helpful way to keep the sugar crystals at bay as well — it's not essential, but if you have some, definitely pour a little in. Bring the fudge to a boil slowly. You want the sugar to dissolve before it boils, so make sure the fudge is smooth before turning the heat up.
A great way to make sure your fudge is going to settle right is by using a candy thermometer. When bringing your fudge to a boil, check that the temperature reaches the ideal range of 237 to 239 F. That range will get you a pan of fudge that's in the Goldilocks zone of not too soft and not too hard. It will also help keep your fudge from becoming gritty since sugar crystals can form again if the fudge gets too hot. Overcooked fudge, which goes beyond 239 F, evaporates the water, which isn't what you want.
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It also matters how you treat the fudge after it's cooked. Avoid too much stirring while you are heating the fudge since this agitates the sugar and causes it to clump into sugar crystals again. Once it's reached 237 F, allow the fudge to cool to 110 F, and don't stir the fudge at all while it's cooling. Less is more in this case. Other than these tips, treat the fudge like you normally would, and you'll have breathed new life into your winter treat.
The solution? A fudge do-over. Even though it set up properly, I threw it back into a saucepan with about 1 1/2 cups of water and gently heated the mixture to dissolve the fudge into the water. From there, I pretty much re-did the whole cooking process.
Grab the saucepan that you initially used to cook the fudge and toss the fudge back in along with 1 ½ cups of water and a splash of cream. Adding some cream of tartar is a helpful way to keep the sugar crystals at bay as well — it's not essential, but if you have some, definitely pour a little in.
To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.
This fudge was cooked to a temperature of 118 °C (244 °F). At this temperature, the sugar is too concentrated and there is not enough water left to form syrup around sugar crystals. The result is hard and brittle fudge.
You can start by gently reheating it and boiling or cooking it again, aiming to reach the correct temperature. Alternatively, using short bursts in the microwave and stirring between intervals until it thickens can also be an effective method to restore its texture.
If you let your fudge get too hot, the sugars will start to concentrate and the fudge will be crumbly, dull, and hard. To fix it, put it back into the saucepan and add about 3–4 US tbsp (44–59 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.Stir the mixture as you heat it until the sugar in the fudge is melted.
My advice to you is to just pour it in a jar, call it something else delicious, and pretend you meant for it to be that way. The nice thing about my “failed” fudge is that it tastes absolutely delicious! A spoonful of the delectable treat will make you want for more.
If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).
4. Beat the mixture. After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte.
So to recap, it's best to store proper fudge at room temperature. Keeping it in the fridge takes out all its moisture, drying it out. Homemade fudge is best in the fridge. No matter where you store it, the goal is to protect the fudge from exposure to the elements so airtight containers are best!
If you discover that your mixture is grainy, some quick thinking will save the entire batch. Pour the fudge back into your pan, and add about a cup of water to it, along with a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk, whipping cream, or whatever cream you're using.
You have one option to make it soft, which is you have to put the fudge pieces in a plastic bag along with the paper towel or a bread slice.Secure the bag and leave it overnight, next day you will get a softened fudge.
In principle for traditional fudge you could re-heat it by adding more liquid so that the sugars dissolve. You would then need to evaporate the excess liquid (but don't exceed the soft-ball stage at 237 F/114 C) to recreate your supersaturated solution.
Harden the fudge: Place your container or tins in the fridge for 2 hours, which is the time it takes for the fudge to set. Once it's hardened, cut the fudge into 12 pieces or remove it from the muffin tins. Store in the fridge or the freezer (if you don't devour it right away).
If you don't heat your fudge to a high enough temperature, you'll end up with a soft product. And if you heat the mixture too much, your fudge may be harder than you'd like.
Storing fudge in an airtight container is your best bet. Cut the fudge, and then store it in separate layers with waxed paper in between. If you intend to enjoy your fudge relatively quickly, it's best stored at room temperature short-term. If you plan to keep your fudge for longer, the freezer will be your best bet.
Boil. After making a batch of caramel sauce, caramel apples, fudge, toffee, peanut brittle, butterscotch, or any other stovetop candy, simply fill the dirty dish with water and bring it to a boil. By the time the water starts to bubble, it will have removed most of the hardened candy from around the sides of the pot.
Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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