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

Recipes

ByLauren

This post may contain affiliate links of which we earn a small commission should you choose to purchase through them. This helps us to keep the site running. Thank you for your support

Table of Contents

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.

Pin this recipe

More Fudge Recipes

  • Kinder Bueno Fudge!
  • Easy Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe!
  • Biscoff Fudge Recipe
  • Whisky Fudge Recipe
  • Coffee Fudge Recipe
  • Easy White Chocolate Fudge Recipe!
  • Lemon Meringue Fudge Recipe!
  • Easy White Chocolate Sprinkle Fudge Recipe!
  • Easy Lemon Fudge Recipe!
  • Lemon Meringue Fudge Recipe!
  • Easy Dark Chocolate And Sea Salt Fudge Recipe!
  • Dark Chocolate Fudge Recipe!
  • White Chocolate Coconut Fudge!
  • Baileys Fudge Recipe!

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 the secret to perfect fudge? ›

Tips for Making Fudge
  • Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
  • Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
  • Beat Thoroughly.
Mar 8, 2023

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 process of making fudge? ›

Commercial fudges are generally prepared by mixing milk, corn syrup (glucose), sugar, fat, a little salt, and suitable flavoring matter such as chocolate; cooking the resulting mixture to a temperature of about 235 F. to 245 F., while agitating the mix; cooling the mix to a temperature between 90 F.

Why won't my 2 ingredient fudge set? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

How do you make fudge creamy and not grainy? ›

Grainy Fudge

To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon. You can use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot.

What makes high quality 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 makes fudge taste like fudge? ›

Fudge incorporates sugar, milk, butter, and other ingredients such as cocoa for chocolate fudge. The chocolatier then heats these products together until they melt. After this, the mixture is beaten during the cooling process. Think of fudge as a food consisting of crystallized sugar.

What is homemade fudge made of? ›

Fudge is a dense, rich confection typically made with sugar, milk or cream, butter and chocolate or other flavorings. The base for fudge is boiled until it reaches the soft-ball stage (135 to 140 degrees F), then stirred or beaten as it cools to minimize the formation of sugar crystals.

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›

Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.

What makes fudge hard or soft? ›

If there is too much evaporation, when the cooking time is too long, there will not be enough water left in the fudge and it will be too hard. Conversely, if the cooking time is too brief and there is not enough evaporation, too much water will remain and the fudge will be too soft.

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.

Can I fix fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).

What to do with failed fudge? ›

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.

Why does fudge fail? ›

Homemade Fudge Doesn't Always Set

If your fudge doesn't firm up after a few hours, you either have too high an amount of liquid to sugar, or your mixture hasn't reached the soft-ball stage. Using a candy thermometer can help home cooks avoid this problem.

Do you stir fudge when it's boiling? ›

Brush the sides of the pan with a wet brush at the beginning of cooking to dissolve sugar crystals stuck to the sides. Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again. The mixture may seize and become grainy. Use a candy thermometer or conduct a cold water test to check if the fudge is done.

What gives fudge its firm texture? ›

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. While you ultimately want crystals to form, it's important that they don't form too early.

What is the ball method fudge? ›

According to most recipes, the ingredients of fudge are cooked to what is termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 5748

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.