Chocolate Fudge

[Ghawtho]

Does someone have a GOOD chocolate fudge recipe? Using only 2 to 3 cups of sugar so the serving amount is small. I tried Alton Brown’s chocolate fudge last weekend and it turned out VERY grainy and course. We followed the recipe very closely. Sure wasted some HIGH dollar fresh pecans on the recipe. Pecans are $30 for 2.5 pounds there really EXPENSIVE now days.

[Sid P]

Most fudge recipes are simple - it’s all in the technique. Here’s a link that discusses what went wrong and how to fix it: https://www.bakingkneads.com/why-is-my-fudge-grainy/ .

[Ghawtho]

The fudge recipe was followed very closely. The fudge recipe was to cook the fudge 234 degrees (soft ball stage) but 234 is not hot enough, though the recipe calls out 234 degrees. I sent an email to food network a few years ago about another recipe on their website and was told a large amount of recipes on foodnetwork.com have NEVER been tested and it’s to be used at our own risk as many recipes have not ever been tested. Recipes on foodnetwork.com should never, never be trusted as accurate.

[Huskee]

I have an idea for the pecan issue- skip 'em! Problem solved That's all I have.

[Sid P]

I don’t know if they’re less expensive, but they also taste great with walnuts.

[efranzen]

I just made Fannie Mae Fudge, not grainy at all. The recipe is available online. Uses lots of different chocolates and marshmallows.

[Ghawtho]

Take another run on making Alton Brown’s fudge. The recipe was followed 100% word for word. The fudge finished some better this round. It’s a little grainy on the top and fudge texture in the middle of the candy. This time the fudge was cooked to 239 degrees and removed from the heat immediately. Let the fudge rest for 10 minutes then hand beat the HECK out of it.
It’s edible now just somewhat crispy fudge. Thought about spritzing the fudge with a little HOT water. After all our recipes are all about a crispy top. 😆

[hoovarmin]

Hate to say this, cause I like Alton, but some of his cooking advice, especially from the early days, is very flawed. If you don't believe me, then read the instructions from his "Pizza Pizza" recipe.

[Michael_in_TX]

I think he does realize this. I watched his Good Eats: Reloaded about a year ago. He revises several of his episodes..... and almost tells you to discount the original content entirely! To be fair, Good Eats was on for two decades and some of the stuff from the early 2000s couldn't help but be a bit dated.

[Oak Smoke]

Don’t expect pecans to come back down soon. There are years when most of the trees don’t produce pecans. We are a huge pecan producing area and there are virtually no pecans. The 4 large trees in my front yard have none at all on them. Maybe the drought, I don’t know.

[Ghawtho]

I think pecan trees are much like peach trees which require LOTS of water, even without a drought there still wouldn’t be enough water. Our peach tree produced a good crop of peaches during the summer but was putting at least 200 gallons of water on the tree every week, mainly cause our summer was hot with very little rain. Hopefully we get couple nice snow storms this winter. As far as climate effects there is no such thing though the scientist say there is. I’m just as good of a scientist too.

[skipsdaughter]

I haven't made fudge, but I've found good luck with other recipes from the Midwest Made cookbook and there's a link to her recipe on the Midwest Living website. https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/cheaters-fudge/. Good luck!

[Mosca]

Fudge is one of those things I would trust to the Midwest, completely!

[Ghawtho]

Alton Browns fudge is VERY GOOD. My second batch isn’t as grainy as the first but it’s a dry fudge but with a VERY GOOD taste. The recipe has 1 Tbsp of vanilla which give the fudge its taste. If others want, make fudge and let me know how it turned out. You’ll like the taste. It’s the best tasting fudge ever eaten. It turned out much like the red peanut patties.

[kizeroy]

I've made fudge many times and had great results and also some less than great batches. Its been a while since my last batch but I do know it has never been a short rest like 10 minutes. It usually takes an hour or so sitting untouched off the heat to get it down to 110° before stirring.

Once stirring starts and it starts to lose the luster get it in the prepared dish! At least once I wasn't quick enough and it immediately set up in the sauce pan as I was stirring...tasted great and no grain, but had to cut pieces out from the sold lump!

The recipe I've always used was from an old 90's Betty Crocker cookbook that my mom had. I'm not sure how it compares with Alton's, but I'd imagine they are similar. Only other advice I have is to keep practicing, make sure all sugar is fully dissolved (scrape down the sides of the pan too!) prior to it coming to a boil, and let it cool without disturbing it until 110° then go to town with the stirring!

I still have a "bad" batch once in a while, but just have to keep at it! Good luck with your continued attempts!

[Ghawtho]

My first batch was boiled reaching 234 degrees. Let the fudge set undisturbed until reaching 130 degrees (per recipe instructions) and the fudge was setting up in the pan and was very difficult to stir. It was so thick thought the spoon was going to break. My second batch during stirring it had the consistency of melted taffy and didn’t have sugar crystals at all. I think my stirring was too long. As the fudge reached a matte finish my stirring continued when my stirring should’ve stopped.

[fracmeister]

This is easy and works. Try it without pecans to test maybe?
Butter an 8x8baking panand line with wax paper with some sticking over the edges..In a double boiler at low heat melt 4 T butter, ½ pound each semisweet and bittersweetchocolate, 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk and¼ t salt. Just melt but do not cook anyfurther. Mix in 3/4 cups chopped pecans and turn mixture into the baking pan. Refrigeratecovered overnight. Lift fudge out with wax paper and cut fudge into 1x1 squares. Store in anairtight container and hide them.Fudge should be room temp when eaten.