What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out. But
one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all terrific and
enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as they warm to room
temperature, they can become gooey messes. Is there a standard way to
eliminate this from any fudge recipe during the cooking process or is it my
recipes that are just prone to this problem and I'd be better off changing
the recipes (or adding some ingredient to my recipes) so they firm up
better.

Thanks,
Tim

T. C. Conde wrote:
> What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out. But
> one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all terrific and
> enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as they warm to room
> temperature, they can become gooey messes. Is there a standard way to
> eliminate this from any fudge recipe during the cooking process or is it my
> recipes that are just prone to this problem and I'd be better off changing
> the recipes (or adding some ingredient to my recipes) so they firm up
> better.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>

I suspect it's your recipe (some combination of marshmallows, chocolate
chips, and sweetened condensed milk.)


Old Fashioned Fudge
(Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, cut up
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In it, combine suggar, milk,
chocolate, corn syrup, and dash salt. Cook and stir over medium heat
until sugar disolves and mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking to
234ºF (soft-ball stage), stirring only as needed to prevent sticking
(mixture should boil gently over entire surface) Immediately remove from
heat; add butter but do not stir. Cool, without stirring to lukewarm
(110ºF), for 30 to 40 minutes. Add vanilla and nuts. Beat vigorously
for 7 to 10 minutes or until fudge becomes very thick and loses its gloss.

Immediately spread into a buttered 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Score into
squares while warm; cut when firm. Makes about 1 1/4 pounds.

Note: I made this once using cocoa and 2 extra Tbsp of butter and it was
very grainy. Using Bakers chocolate, it has never done that to me.

* * *

Best regards,
Bob

"zxcvbob" > wrote

> T. C. Conde wrote:
>> What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out.
>> But one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all
>> terrific and enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as
>> they warm to room temperature, they can become gooey messes.

> I suspect it's your recipe (some combination of marshmallows, chocolate
> chips, and sweetened condensed milk.)

I think you have that backwards. Those are the easy fudge recipes
that stay the way you make them. It's the real fudge recipes that are
trickier.

nancy

G'day Bob,

This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
(Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .

In article >, zxcvbob
> wrote:
>T. C. Conde wrote:
>> What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out. But
>> one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all terrific and
>> enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as they warm to room
>> temperature, they can become gooey messes. Is there a standard way to
>> eliminate this from any fudge recipe during the cooking process or is it my
>> recipes that are just prone to this problem and I'd be better off changing
>> the recipes (or adding some ingredient to my recipes) so they firm up
>> better.
>
>I suspect it's your recipe (some combination of marshmallows, chocolate
>chips, and sweetened condensed milk.)
>
>Old Fashioned Fudge
>(Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)
>
>2 cups sugar
>3/4 cup milk
>2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, cut up
>1 teaspoon light corn syrup
>2 tablespoons butter or margarine
>1 teaspoon vanilla
>1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
>
>Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In it, combine suggar, milk,
>chocolate, corn syrup, and dash salt. Cook and stir over medium heat
>until sugar disolves and mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking to
>234ºF (soft-ball stage), stirring only as needed to prevent sticking
>(mixture should boil gently over entire surface) Immediately remove from
>heat; add butter but do not stir. Cool, without stirring to lukewarm
>(110ºF), for 30 to 40 minutes. Add vanilla and nuts. Beat vigorously
>for 7 to 10 minutes or until fudge becomes very thick and loses its gloss.
>
>Immediately spread into a buttered 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Score into
>squares while warm; cut when firm. Makes about 1 1/4 pounds.
>
>Note: I made this once using cocoa and 2 extra Tbsp of butter and it was
>very grainy. Using Bakers chocolate, it has never done that to me.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

In article > ,
"T. C. Conde" > wrote:

> What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out. But
> one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all terrific and
> enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as they warm to room
> temperature, they can become gooey messes. Is there a standard way to
> eliminate this from any fudge recipe during the cooking process or is it my
> recipes that are just prone to this problem and I'd be better off changing
> the recipes (or adding some ingredient to my recipes) so they firm up
> better.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim

Without knowing your recipe at all, I'd suggest cooking it 2-4 degrees
past where you're currently cooking it.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-3-2006, Sam I Am! and Hello!

In article >,
(Phred) wrote:
> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .

Fudge, huh? Crisp and crunchy don't conjure up fudge in my mind. That
sounds like nut brittle or toffee. Good fudge is smooth and creamy on
the tongue.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 1-3-2006, Sam I Am! and Hello!

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote

> (Phred) wrote:
>> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
>> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
>> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
>
> Fudge, huh? Crisp and crunchy don't conjure up fudge in my mind. That
> sounds like nut brittle or toffee. Good fudge is smooth and creamy on
> the tongue.

(laugh!) I was thinking ... crispy fudge? Unlikely. And the only
way it would be crunchy is if it had nuts, which are optional.
Obviously we are talking about different things, but it's hard to
picture anything named fudge, anywhere, to be crispy.

nancy

Phred wrote:
> G'day Bob,
>
> This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
> yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
> a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
> but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
> dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .

Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.

Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
deg. F. or above temps).

Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.

N.

Nancy1 wrote:

> Phred wrote:
>
>>G'day Bob,
>>
>>This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
>>yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
>>a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
>>but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
>>dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
>>I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
>>tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
>>(Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
>
>
> Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
> and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
> quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
> most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
> a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
> within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.
>
> Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
> fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
> fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
> with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
> you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
> doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
> deg. F. or above temps).
>
> Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
> differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.
>
> N.
>

Phred has an offbeat sense of humor, so I dunno how much of his post was
serious and how much was in jest (I suspect some of each.) "Even Older
Fashioned" fudge wouldn't have the little bit of corn syrup, but it
might have a tsp of vinegar or (guessing now) some light tasting honey.
If there was nothing like that added to retard crystalization, the
fudge would probably turn of grainy most of the time -- which could be
construed as crisp and crunchy, I guess.

Bob

One time on Usenet, "T. C. Conde" > said:

> What would Christmas be without fudge? Well, I am not about to find out. But
> one peeve I have is that the different fudges we make are all terrific and
> enjoyable as long as they are quite cold, but as soon as they warm to room
> temperature, they can become gooey messes. Is there a standard way to
> eliminate this from any fudge recipe during the cooking process or is it my
> recipes that are just prone to this problem and I'd be better off changing
> the recipes (or adding some ingredient to my recipes) so they firm up
> better.

Are you cooking it long enough? IIRC, fudge needs to hit the
soft ball tempurature, which according to my candy thermometer
is 240 degrees F. What recipe are you using?


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

zxcvbob wrote:
> Nancy1 wrote:
>
>> Phred wrote:
>>
>>> G'day Bob,
>>>
>>> This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
>>> yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
>>> a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
>>> but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
>>> dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
>>> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
>>> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
>>> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
>>
>>
>> Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
>> and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
>> quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
>> most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
>> a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
>> within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.
>>
>> Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
>> fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
>> fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
>> with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
>> you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
>> doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
>> deg. F. or above temps).
>>
>> Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
>> differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.
>>
>> N.
>>
>
> Phred has an offbeat sense of humor, so I dunno how much of his post was
> serious and how much was in jest (I suspect some of each.) "Even Older
> Fashioned" fudge wouldn't have the little bit of corn syrup, but it
> might have a tsp of vinegar or (guessing now) some light tasting honey.
> If there was nothing like that added to retard crystalization, the
> fudge would probably turn of grainy most of the time -- which could be
> construed as crisp and crunchy, I guess.
>
> Bob


Are we talking Tablet?

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
news:AdTuf.19363

> Are we talking Tablet?

Ah.. a Scotsman!

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
...
> zxcvbob wrote:
>> Nancy1 wrote:
>>
>>> Phred wrote:
>>>
>>>> G'day Bob,
>>>>
>>>> This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
>>>> yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
>>>> a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
>>>> but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
>>>> dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
>>>> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
>>>> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
>>>> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
>>>
>>>
>>> Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
>>> and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
>>> quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
>>> most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
>>> a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
>>> within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.
>>>
>>> Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
>>> fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
>>> fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
>>> with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
>>> you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
>>> doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
>>> deg. F. or above temps).
>>>
>>> Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
>>> differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.
>>>
>>> N.
>>>
>>
>> Phred has an offbeat sense of humor, so I dunno how much of his post was
>> serious and how much was in jest (I suspect some of each.) "Even Older
>> Fashioned" fudge wouldn't have the little bit of corn syrup, but it
>> might have a tsp of vinegar or (guessing now) some light tasting honey.
>> If there was nothing like that added to retard crystalization, the
>> fudge would probably turn of grainy most of the time -- which could be
>> construed as crisp and crunchy, I guess.
>>
>> Bob

Fudge on the woodburning stove in the 30's and 40's never was made with corn
syrup at our house. Corn syrup was for city-folks. I've read many times
that to keep fudge from turning grainy is not to stir while cooking, and
never scoot down the granules on the side of the pan into the fudge; and
particularly do not beat until it is cool. Our method of testing to see if
it was ready was dropping a drop of it into a glass of water. Sometimes we
had a failure,not often. My grandmother would not make fudge on a rainy
day, nor any other day but Saturday.
Dee Dee


It was made with Hershey's cocoa.

Ophelia wrote:
> "Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
> news:AdTuf.19363
>
>> Are we talking Tablet?
>
> Ah.. a Scotsman!
>
>
Welsh

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
...
> Ophelia wrote:
>> "Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
>> news:AdTuf.19363
>>
>>> Are we talking Tablet?
>>
>> Ah.. a Scotsman!
>>
>>
> Welsh

)

In article >, zxcvbob > wrote:
>Nancy1 wrote:
>> Phred wrote:
>>>
>>>This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
>>>yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
>>>a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
>>>but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
>>>dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
>>>I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
>>>tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
>>>(Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
>>
>> Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
>> and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
>> quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
>> most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
>> a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
>> within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.
>>
>> Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
>> fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
>> fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
>> with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
>> you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
>> doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
>> deg. F. or above temps).
>>
>> Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
>> differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.

G'day Nance,

I would if I could but I can't. I didn't inherit her recipe notes.
But I *think* I know who in the family might have them, so I'll see if
I can dig them up. I'm pretty curious about it too as none of the
modern bought fudges I've tried come close to hers as I remember it.

>Phred has an offbeat sense of humor, so I dunno how much of his post was
>serious and how much was in jest (I suspect some of each.) "Even Older
>Fashioned" fudge wouldn't have the little bit of corn syrup, but it
>might have a tsp of vinegar or (guessing now) some light tasting honey.
> If there was nothing like that added to retard crystalization, the
>fudge would probably turn of grainy most of the time -- which could be
>construed as crisp and crunchy, I guess.

G'day Bob,

I think my description was rather, er ..., shall we say "hurried"?
I can see why "crisp and crunchy" may conjure up images of hard toffee
or similar. It's hard to describe what I'm really trying to say --
especially as I haven't had any of my mother's fudge for over 50
years. It was certainly firm, but not "hard" -- that is, it sort of
crumbled rather than snapped -- and it wasn't an amorphous texture, it
seemed to have a "structure" of sorts, though not *noticeably*
crystalline. And it certainly wasn't at all sticky to handle.

As I mentioned some time ago, my mother never got the hang of making
icecream; and her one attempt at cooking brains was a disaster; so
maybe her fudge was created more by accident than intent too. As I
said above, I'll try to locate a copy of her recipe, or, possibly, her
mother's -- which would probably be a better guide to intention. :-)

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Dee Randall wrote:
> "Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
> ...
> > zxcvbob wrote:
> >> Nancy1 wrote:
> >>
> >>> Phred wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> G'day Bob,
> >>>>
> >>>> This "Old Fashioned Fudge" you mention sounds more like a trendy,
> >>>> yuppie fudge to me. My mum would *never* have put friggin' *nuts* in
> >>>> a fudge, and her recipe (which, unfortunately, I don't have to hand,
> >>>> but *may* be able to dig up from one or another of my female rellies)
> >>>> dates back to *her* mum, who would be 132 this year, if still alive.
> >>>> I might add that her fudge was crisp and crunchy even in the humid wet
> >>>> tropics of the so-called "pristine" World Heritage areas around here.
> >>>> (Not far from the tourist ghetto of Cairns -- I rest my case. .
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Well, let's see - BH & G's fudge recipe appears in my 1962 cookbook,
> >>> and even then, they call it "old fashion" to differentiate from all the
> >>> quick 'n easy condensed milk and/or marshmallow type recipes. So, for
> >>> most purposes, it IS old-fashion fudge; that is, made with the help of
> >>> a candy thermometer and cooked to the proper temperature, and beaten to
> >>> within an inch of its life, before pouring it into a pan to cool.
> >>>
> >>> Fudge isn't crisp and crunchy. Fudge should be smooth-textured and
> >>> fairly solid (the above recipe, which I use all the time, creates a
> >>> fudge that if you take a 2 inch square of it, you can break it in half
> >>> with no messy drips/strings or other appearances of being squishy, and
> >>> you can easily pick it up without getting your fingers messy), and
> >>> doesn't get soft if it's not refrigerated (unless it's left out in 90
> >>> deg. F. or above temps).
> >>>
> >>> Why don't you post your mum's recipe, so we can see what the
> >>> differences are between Aussie fudge and USA fudge.
> >>>
> >>> N.
> >>>
> >>
> >> Phred has an offbeat sense of humor, so I dunno how much of his post was
> >> serious and how much was in jest (I suspect some of each.) "Even Older
> >> Fashioned" fudge wouldn't have the little bit of corn syrup, but it
> >> might have a tsp of vinegar or (guessing now) some light tasting honey.
> >> If there was nothing like that added to retard crystalization, the
> >> fudge would probably turn of grainy most of the time -- which could be
> >> construed as crisp and crunchy, I guess.
> >>
> >> Bob
>
> Fudge on the woodburning stove in the 30's and 40's never was made with corn
> syrup at our house. Corn syrup was for city-folks. I've read many times
> that to keep fudge from turning grainy is not to stir while cooking, and
> never scoot down the granules on the side of the pan into the fudge; and
> particularly do not beat until it is cool. Our method of testing to see if
> it was ready was dropping a drop of it into a glass of water. Sometimes we
> had a failure,not often. My grandmother would not make fudge on a rainy
> day, nor any other day but Saturday.
> Dee Dee
>
>
> It was made with Hershey's cocoa.

When fudge turns grainy, it's because some undissolved sugar crystals
got into the body of the cooked stuff - that's why one butters the
entire inside of the saucepan first, and why one doesn't scrape down
the sides once it starts to get to its proper temp. Not beating long
enough will make it stringy/chewy and it won't set.

N.