Chocolate Meltaways: A Fabulous Fudge Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to smooth fudge? ›

By cooling the fudge prior to agitation (like in the recipes included in this article), on the other hand, you'll get much smaller, finer sugar crystals and a finished fudge with a smooth, creamy texture. Cool the mixture until it reads 120° F on the thermometer—no stirring. This can take 1 to 1/2 hours.

Chocolate meltaways, also called velvets, meltaway candies, and by a variety of other smooth-sounding names, are unique confections with melt-in-the-mouth properties.

Beat Thoroughly. While you shouldn't mix the fudge mixture when it's hot, you should beat the mixture once it has been removed from the heat and cooled. Once again, turn to your candy thermometer.

The main difference is the texture. Hot fudge is thicker and more rich while chocolate sauce is thinner and more pourable. Chocolate sauce stays sauce in the refrigerator, while hot fudge gets cold and thick… like fudge.

In both cases, sugar and cream must be brought to a boil by gently stirring, then—and this is very important—refrain from stirring again throughout the rest of the cooking process.

It's a milk chocolate Hershey kiss with chocolate on the inside! It's like a truffle. Truffles are my favorite type of chocolate.

These cookies melt in your mouth. Peppermint meltaways start with classic cookie ingredients of butter and flour, but the powdered sugar is what gives this cookie a fluffy texture. This delicate little cookie tastes like soft tender shortbread.

The craving can be so strong in some cases that chocoholics may experience withdrawal symptoms if the craving is not fulfilled. The word chocoholic is used humorously to describe a person who is inordinately fond of chocolate. The term was first used in 1961, according to Merriam-Webster.

By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals.

What ingredient makes fudge hard? ›

Too cooked

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. To save the fudge, put it in a saucepan with 45 to 60 ml (3 or 4 tbsp.)

about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.

Fudge typically contains more sugar than chocolate, so it may not be the best choice for those looking to limit their sugar intake. On the other hand, dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants and can provide health benefits when consumed in moderation.

Fudge (Chocolate and Otherwise)

Aside from these ingredients, fudge is generally comprised simply of milk, sugar, and butter as the base. To this basic recipe, one can add chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, white chocolate, or even espresso powder to create compelling flavor combinations.

The story goes, a baker was trying to make chocolate caramels. However, they didn't get the recipe quite right. When the candy came out as the creamy treat we know today, they said, “Oh, fudge!” and that's how the candy got its name. The first recorded mention of fudge came from 1888.

Tiny microcrystals in fudge are what give it its firm texture. The crystals are small enough, however, that they don't feel grainy on your tongue, but smooth.

Solutions to Save Your 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.

Spoon a small amount of the boiling candy mixture into the cold water. If the syrup forms a soft ball in the water that flattens when removed, it is at soft-ball stage. Quickly remove your candy from the heat, or you will find yourself at hard-ball stage, and your fudge will be too hard.