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This Easy Chocolate Fudge recipe is made with just 3 ingredients! Chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla come together to make a homemade fudge that’s bursting with chocolate flavor. It’s a simple treat to put together for gifts and sharing this holiday season.
Table of Contents
Easy Homemade Chocolate Fudge
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FUDGE
THIS FUDGE RECIPE ONLY TAKES 3 MINUTES!
Get the Recipe
Easy Homemade Chocolate Fudge
I’ve been loving testing out new fudge recipes lately. Did you catch my Easy White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge recently? SO good! Both that fudge and this one are so rich and creamy, it’s hard to stop eating them!
Now, there are two great things I’ve found about fudge lately. One – it can be incredibly easy to make. And two – it’s a delicious treat to snack on when taking care of twins. 😉 The only problem with that is it might be too easy.
But of course easy is exactly what we need this time of year. So much going on, so little time and oh my gosh, Christmas is like 10 days away. When did that happen?!? I’m so not ready. And if you’re not fully prepared and need something quick, this fudge is for you. Not to mention, it’s a great chocolate fix if you’re losing your mind a bit and chocolate makes you feel better. 🙂
So to get started making this easy chocolate fudge, you’ll need just three ingredients – chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Hopefully you’re like me and already have those 3 things in your pantry at all times.
Grab a 9×9 inch pan and line it with parchment paper and set that aside. Then put the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave them for one minute, then stir to combine and let the residual heat do as much of the melting as it can. If it needs another 30 seconds or so, go ahead and heat it some more, then stir it until it’s melted.
Once everything is melted together, add the vanilla extract and combine everything. Working quickly, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Let the fudge cool to room temperature before cutting into squares. You could also let it cool in the fridge to speed up the process, but it doesn’t have to be refrigerated.
THIS FUDGE RECIPE ONLY TAKES 3 MINUTES!
This chocolate fudge is so easy to make, it takes all of about three minutes! A minute to prepare the pan and ingredients, a minute to melt the chocolate and a minute to spread it out into the pan. Seriously – SO EASY! You will be enjoying the best chocolate fudge before you know it! Dense, rich, chocolatey, delicious! What are you waiting for?!
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 58 reviews
Author:Lindsay
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:1 minute
Total Time:11 minutes
Yield:20-25 pieces
Category:Dessert
Method:No Bake
Cuisine:American
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Description
This easy chocolate fudge recipe is made with just 3 ingredients and is full of rich chocolate flavor! A simple Christmas or holiday gift you’ll love.
Ingredients
2 cups (12oz) semi sweet chocolate chips (do not use milk chocolate)
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Line a 9×9 square pan with parchment paper that covers the sides of the pan. 2. Place the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir well to combine and allow the heat to melt the chocolate chips. If needed, microwave for another 30 seconds or so, until the chocolate is completely smooth. 3. Stir in the vanilla extract, then quickly transfer the mixture to the lined pan and spread evenly. 4. Refrigerate the fudge until firm, 2-3 hours. 5. Cut the fudge while it’s still cold (right out of the fridge) and store in an air tight container. Fudge can be stored at either room temperature or the fridge. It will be softer at room temperature.
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. ...
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.
Add a simple wooden or paper stick, some transparent gauze wrapping, a bow and a creative label to any piece of fudge, and you've now got something that looks more like an expensive candy apple than a humble square of 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).
So, the key to smooth yet firm fudge, pralines, and fondant is to first bring the mixture to a high enough concentration and then let it cool off somewhat before starting to stir. And once you do start to stir, stir fanatically and without stopping for the finest, creamiest texture.
While you ultimately want crystals to form, it's important that they don't form too early. The key to successful, nongrainy fudge is in the cooling, not the cooking. The recipe calls for heating the ingredients to the soft-ball stage, or 234° F, then allowing it to cool undisturbed to approximately 110° F.
Vanilla is not an essential ingredient in fudge. The essential ingredients are sugar (or an equally calorie-rich sugar substitute like corn syrup), milk and butter. Everything else you might find in a fudge recipe is just added to modify the basic flavor, texture and/or color.
Put parchment paper to good use with this idea for packaging edible gifts: Carefully wrap your favorite Christmas fudge inside a DIY parchment paper wrapping paper. Complete the rustic look by tying a twine ribbon adorned with a cheery candy cane.
To keep it soft and fresh, wrap fudge tightly in plastic after it cools. Well-wrapped fudge will stay fresh for one to two weeks in a cool, dry pantry. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for two to three weeks, or in the freezer for two to three months.
Those who have dealt with sugar cookery and candy making in the past will recognize 235°F (113°C) as the bottom of the “softball” stage. This means that a drop of syrup at this temperature when dropped into a glass of cold water will form a ball that can be smashed between the fingers.
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.
The team has the process down pat: One person weighs the ingredients—raw chocolate from Germany, sugar from Bay City, and cream and butter—into a copper kettle set over a propane gas burner. The maker constantly stirs with an oak paddle until the sugary mixture reaches a roaring boil, about 16 to 17 minutes.
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.
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!
Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage on the candy thermometer, remove from the heat and let the temperature drop to 110°F. Keep that spoon or spatula out of the pot until this happens. If you stir too early in the process, you'll make the sugar crystals too big and end up with grainy fudge.
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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