I have always been an old fashioned, hard-core, boil ’em up kind of fudge maker. This makes great fudge, but it’s fiddly and I have spent many hours testing my batches to get them from ‘soft ball stage’ to ‘hard ball stage’- where I can drop a spoonful of mixture on a cold saucer and be able to get it to form into a firm ball before madly getting it into the tins before it sets too hard to manoeuvre.
After much perseverance I became the ‘Fudge Queen’ – cleaning up in the local agricultural shows and being awarded many ribbons and prizes. (It sounds more glamorous than it is – one of my ‘prizes’ was a tea towel, another was a nifty peg bag full of plastic bags – Oh Hale Goddess of Domesticity… Meanwhile our neighbour’s prizewinning cow netted him a bottle of rum, and several cartons of beer!)
A few years ago a friend gave me a recipe she uses to make commercial quantities of fudge for a fudge house. I couldn’t believe how simple it was, or how great it turned out. And it only takes five minutes.
I make this often for street stalls, gifts and bribes. It may be a cheater’s kind of fudge but it is every kind of delicious. It will be one of the things in my Easter Basket presents for loved ones this year.
Ingredients:
400g chocolate*, 60g butter, 1 x 395g tin of condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
Note: Use a good quality chocolate. Cheaper chocolate has less cocoa solids and more vegetable oil, which gives a much softer fudge. White chocolate and milk chocolate will also give a softer result. That’s still fine. Just keep it in the fridge or freezer.
Method:
Use baking paper to line a tin. I use a 16cm square tin, which gives a thick slab of fudge, but you could also use a longer, shallower tray.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Then break in your chocolate.
If you are going to prepare any variations now is the time to do it! I made a few batches, but this first one I made with milk chocolate and a cupful of jersey caramels which I chopped into smaller pieces.
Tip the condensed milk and vanilla into your saucepan and then allow it all to melt. Stir with a strong wooden spoon. The mixture will come together quickly so watch it carefully. Dump in any additions and stir through.
Then quickly spoon into the paper-lined tin and leave in fridge for a few hours to set.
Variations:
Soak 3/4 cup of raisins or sultanas in 1 to 2 tablespoons of rum until the alcohol has been absorbed (this works best over a few hours or overnight). Add to dark chocolate.
Add one cup of chopped walnuts and substitute coffee essence for vanilla. Use chocolate of choice.
One cup of chopped cream biscuits such as Oreos added to milk or dark chocolate.
One cup of chopped glace ginger – this is divine with dark chocolate.
OR use 200 g of plain chocolate, and 200g of a flavoured chocolate, such as Lindt Chilli, Orange or Mint.
This is so simple, even non-cooks can make it. *WARNING Highly addictive! ♥
If you live in Australia or anywhere else tropical (or if your central healing is turned up!), keep this fudge in the fridge or freezer, as it will become quite soft in warm weather.
Thank you, dear heart.
Hi, i just made this.. literally put it in the fridge 30 seconds ago.. i pour the condensed milk in and it didn’t melt but sorta started to thicken.. i stirred like crazy incase it split or something ? then very quickly threw it into the tin and into the fridge.. does that sound normal (ish) .. in any case it will set and it IS chocolate so will taste yummy.. just want the consistency to be right..
This is my first time EVER making fudge 🙂
Yep, sounds about right! Congratulations on your first batch of fudge 🙂
I need a shot of my insulin after reading this recipe! However, I will still be making it at Christmas and having an insulin chaser straight afterwards 🙂
Hello, I live in Brazil and today I cooked the fudge following your recipe. I really enjoy, it’s delicious… I’d like to know about the consistence, it’s really soft? Thanks in advance. 😀
Is there a variation that doesn’t use chocolate? it seriously disagrees with me but I love fudge !
Rachel, I have a wonderful prize-winning fudge recipe that uses cocoa, but it’s not a quick recipe. Shall make it for you and blog the results in the next week or so. Much love, Nicole xx
I’ve made this with milk, dark and white chocolate to the exact recepie, and it doesn’t set firm enough for commercial purposes. The only way it stays firm is if it’s kept in a refrigerator or fridge unit. It does tadte good but is usless for commercial use.
Hi,
I made this last night but it did not set. Any suggestions?
LOL Nicole, have just read this post (via your Xmas post) and your friend and I read similar material! The recipe I use is sans vanilla. I found it in a Family Circle Children’s Cookbook. I’ve been making this as Xmas fudge for past 10 years or so. And only do it at Xmas, making it special. My ‘secret’ is the use of Lindt chocolate (and personalise the ratio dark/milk as needed). Have many friends and family addicted. I broke the rule this year and used this fudge as my wedding favours for our guests.
Amusing aside, I can no longer eat it (dairy free lifestyle lol).
Hearing you about lifestyle changes ruling out all the sweetie bits… I love that you made fudge as wedding favours!!! xoxo
Looks amazing! I’m going to have to try this recipe out!
I apologise in advance for any future addiction issues, Jason 😀 xx
Apology accepted! 😉
I am in love with everything you make. Seriously! Those fudges look incredible! I just keep thinking about your fruit cake, the marshmallows, this fudge . . .
Living with you must be super dangerous!
Hahaha! By the time I’ve had you helping around the farm, or lugging crystals in the shed you’ll have earned a plateful of tasty treats! In fact, most of my farm helpers willingly work for food over cash… LOL
Anything with condensed milk has to be DE-licious!!! I must try this — once I figure the conversions from metric … 😀
Happy Easter to you and yours … may it be blessed, full of love and fun!
I’ll try and remember to post recipes in cups and spoonfuls, or add in a pounds and ounces version. Happy Easter to you too ♥ xoxo
THis is such a similar recipe and I don’t like normal fudge but this is devine and I always make a batch or two for Christmas…. How wonderful is cooking
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-pistachio-fudge-96
And how cool is Nigella!!!
Wowzers! Thanks for sharing. (Is that picture with the prize winning cows the same place they filmed “Babe”? So curious!
Cheers Sweetheart and happy Holiday!
No, that picture is the Exhibition Grounds in Brisbane. Same sort of feel though.
xx
I don’t really like fudge, so I didn’t really pay attention, until I got to the crucial tip to use the recipe for bribes and “thank yous.” Aha! Great idea. Thanks!
Food rewards – great for dogs, and so under-rated for peoples… 😉
Much love to you xx
Reblogged this on Brandie Sellers: A Girl With a Blog and commented:
On my dad’s side of the family, my Grandparents make a sort harder fudge and they were kind to pass the recipe my way after begging for it. I have to keep THAT recipe in the family, but this is very similar, although it looks like a more softer, traditional fudge people are used to seeing.
I’m used to a harder style of fudge too, Brandie, but this recipe is so easy, and the results are terrific every time. I think it’s wonderful that you have some of your family’s precious heritage as a passed-down recipe. They’re my favourite kind. Much love to you xx
And thanks for the reblog love! xoxo
I’m definitely going to have to try it! Although I’ll need to conversions from “g’s” to “cups”. lol! Oh Americans…I’m SO happy they passed it down to me! That’s my favorite thing, too! Much love back to you!
Oh that looks divine!!!! Yum 🙂
They had so much ‘divine-ness’ I have had to make four more batches LOL! Love to you ♥ xx
oh my goodness! This looks fabulous! I am off sugar for a period of time now and this just made my mouth water….will save it for a later date but am sure I will use it.
thanks!! 😀
I’ve been off and on with sugar much of my life, but at Easter, with a house full of people, and lots of kids and others to love and nurture, it seems like a great time for a little kitchen magic.
Bless ♥ xx
That looks fantastic and I like the idea of making it as an Easter gift. I’m especially drawn to the walnut one and the one with a mixture of dark chocolate and flavoured chocolate. I must give this a go, I’ve always avoided fudge because it seemed too difficult to make but this looks really easy. I’m going to try it and will report back. Thank you for the recipe!
You cannot stuff this one up, Lorna. Just don’t turn your back on it once all your ingredients are in the pot and on the heat. Good luck! 😀
How simple and spectacular!! I look forward to trying this recipe out on any and all visitors and potluck friends! And, it’s only right that I should test the chocolate beforehand 😉
Of course you should test it. A lot. Because that’s what friends do. 😉
Yummy. My husband is a self-proclaimed chocolate slut so I will try this recipe for him.
LOL! Hope he likes it. What a good wife you are, Brenda…
Addictive even in the photo!!! Can’t move my eyes away!!!
LOL! It is very addictive, and happy-making 😀
How pretty! And all of the add-ins…ginger and chocolate together are wonderful!
My Dad introduced me to that combo and every time I make anything with chocolate and ginger it reminds me of him!