How To Make Vanilla Fudge | Easy Vanilla Fudge Recipe (2024)

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ByLauren

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Looking for an easy vanilla fudge recipe? Wondering how to make vanilla fudge?

Trust me, I was too. I spent hours online and looked and looked. I tried and tried again. More often than not, I ended up with something that resembled Scottish tablet over fudge and that’s why I had to write this recipe for soft fudge down!

I like my recipes simple and this is a one-pan wonder which I have tried to make as fuss-free as I can while still providing those delicious results that you are looking for.

If a really basic fudge recipe if what you’re after, then make sure to look below!

How To Make Vanilla Fudge | Easy Vanilla Fudge Recipe (1)

Overview

Makes: 40+ pieces
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 2 hours 30 mins (plus 2 hour rest time)

Ingredients

  • 400g Caster sugar
  • 150ml Whole milk
  • 1 tin Condensed milk (397g)
  • 25g Unsalted butter
  • 2tsp Vanilla extract

Utensils

Optional

  • Parchment paper
  • Baking/Sugar thermometer

Instructions

  1. Add your 400g caster sugar, 150ml whole milk, full tin of condensed milk, 25g unsalted butter and 2tsp vanilla to your saucepan and place on a low heat.
  2. Stir gently until all the ingredients have melted and you can no longer feel the sugar grains under your wooden spoon/spatula.
  3. Once your mix is smooth, you want to turn up the heat to a rolling boil.

    Allow this to bubble away with gentle stirring for approximately 15 minutes.

    The mix should begin to thicken under your spoon.

  4. Use a baking thermometer to check the readiness of your fudge, you are looking for this to reach approximately 115°C.

    For those of you (myself included) that do not have a baking thermometer to measure the temperature, we are instead going to check for the soft ball stage.

    So, grab a glass or bowl of cold water and after around 10-15 minutes of boiling, let some of the mixture drop into your water.

    If when you remove it from the water, you can form a soft ball with your fingers, you are done!

  5. Remove your pan from the heat and allow the mix to cool for around 5 minutes.

    It should begin to form a skin in that time.

  6. Then, you want to put in some real arm work and mix, mix, mix with your spatula or wooden spoon until the mix really thickens and loses its sheen.

    It will begin to look matte and resemble what you would consider fudge at this stage.

  7. At this stage, you want to add your mix to your square baking tin and smooth it out to cover all the edges.

    I like to use the back of the spoon as best I can to achieve a smooth surface on top.

  8. Now, you can either pop your fudge into the refrigerator to chill or leave it to set at room temperature.

    It should take around 2 hours but I tend to leave this overnight.

  9. Cut into round 1″ squares.

    Enjoy!

Storage

Store in an airtight container.

This fudge should keep for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.

If refrigerated, fudge can last 2-3 weeks.

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Yield: 40+ pieces

Vanilla Fudge Recipe

How To Make Vanilla Fudge | Easy Vanilla Fudge Recipe (5)

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Additional Time2 hours

Total Time2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 400g Caster sugar
  • 150ml Whole milk
  • 1 tin Condensed milk (397g)
  • 25g Unsalted butter
  • 2tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Add your 400g caster sugar, 150ml whole milk, full tin of condensed milk, 25g unsalted butter and 2tsp vanilla to your saucepan and place on a low heat.
  2. Stir gently until all the ingredients have melted and you can no longer feel the sugar grains under your wooden spoon/spatula.
  3. Once your mix is smooth, you want to turn up the heat to a rolling boil.Allow this to bubble away with gentle stirring for approximately 15 minutes.The mix should begin to thicken under your spoon.
  4. Use a baking thermometer to check the readiness of your fudge, you are looking for this to reach approximately 115°C.For those of you (myself included) that do not have a baking thermometer to measure the temperature, we are instead going to check for the soft ball stage.So, grab a glass or bowl of cold water and after around 10-15 minutes of boiling, let some of the mixture drop into your water.If when you remove it from the water, you can form a soft ball with your fingers, you are done!
  5. Remove your pan from the heat and allow the mix to cool for around 5 minutes.It should begin to form a skin in that time.
  6. Then, you want to put in some real arm work and mix, mix, mix with your spatula or wooden spoon until the mix really thickens and loses its sheen.It will begin to look matte and resemble what you would consider fudge at this stage.
  7. At this stage, you want to add your mix to your square baking tin and smooth it out to cover all the edges.I like to use the back of the spoon as best I can to achieve a smooth surface on top.
  8. Now, you can either pop your fudge into the refrigerator to chill or leave it to set at room temperature.It should take around 2 hours but I tend to leave this overnight.
  9. Cut into round 1″ squares

Notes

Store in an airtight container.

This fudge should keep for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.

If refrigerated, fudge can last 2-3 weeks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

40

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 49Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g

How To Make Vanilla Fudge | Easy Vanilla Fudge Recipe (6)

Lauren

Peter may be the go to guy for travel tips and information but I like to think I bring the heart (maybe even a little humour) back into our writing.

I’m Scottish and proud, a millennial 30 something and your stereotypical girls girl but as opposed to what the press may say, I don’t see those as negatives and neither should you!

How To Make Vanilla Fudge | Easy Vanilla Fudge Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is vanilla fudge made of? ›

Mix confectioners sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat until mixture is hot and creamy. Pour into the prepared pan; refrigerate until fudge has set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What is the trick to making fudge? ›

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

What is traditional fudge made of? ›

At its simplest, fudge is a dense, soft candy, often made with sugar and dairy products like butter and milk. Nowadays, fudge is usually flavored with chocolate, but you can utilize pretty much any flavor, such as peanut butter, pumpkin, even birthday cake.

What makes fudge so good? ›

It's the size of sugar crystals that makes the knees of fudge lovers buckle…the smaller the crystals, the less they are perceived on the tongue and the more the fudge tastes smooth and creamy. Cooking, and beating after cooking, is the key to successful fudge.

What ever happened to vanilla fudge? ›

The band has toured as recently as 2022 with three of the four original members: Stein, Martell, and Appice, with Pete Bremy on bass. Bogert retired in 2009 and died in 2021.

What makes fudge hard or soft? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

How to make your fudge soft? ›

Reset the fudge

Just as you read earlier you have to mix the ingredients and heat it at 234 degrees. But as you are doing it again just add a little amount of water to bring out the consistency. Along with this make sure to add moisture to make it soft.

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

Do you stir fudge while boiling? ›

Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer

Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.

How long does homemade fudge last? ›

How Long Does it Last in The Fridge & Freezer? Homemade Fudge stored in the fridge or refrigerator lasts about 2 - 3 weeks. It provides the cool temperature that this type of fudge exactly demands. The only real time you might need to refrigerate proper fudge is if weather conditions are extremely hot.

Can you mess up fudge? ›

If your fudge is tough, hard, or grainy, then you may have made one of several mistakes: You may have overcooked it, beaten it too long, or neglected to cool it to the proper temperature.

What happens if you don't stir fudge? ›

By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals. Stirring also introduces air, dust, and small dried bits from the walls of the saucepan—all potential seeds for crystal formation.

Why can't you make fudge when it's raining? ›

As strange as it sounds, it is a fact that weather affects fudge making. This is because when the weather is damper with an increased humidity level your Homemade Fudge Recipe will take longer to boil.

Is fudge basically chocolate? ›

Although fudge often contains chocolate, fudge is not the same as chocolate. Chocolate is a mix of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sometimes sugar and other flavorings and is hard and brittle. Fudge is a mixture of sugar, dairy and flavorings that is cooked and cooled to form a smooth, semi-soft confection.

Where did vanilla fudge come from? ›

In 1965, Long Island's Vanilla Fudge began as a blue-eyed soul cover band called the Electric Pigeons (later shortened to “The Pigeons”).

What's the difference between fudge and brownies? ›

Ingredients. Fudge doesn't contain very much besides chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and if you want some inclusions like nuts, marshmallows, cookies, cacao nibs, peanut butter, dried fruit and so on. Whereas brownies contain cacao powder (no chocolate!), flour, eggs, butter or oil, baking powder and nuts.

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