Why must fudge be vigorously beaten after it has cooled to a specific temperature?

The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.

What is the secret to good fudge?

How to Make Fudge. The trick to good homemade fudge is to cook the ingredients to the right temperature to form a sugar syrup, and cool the mixture properly so the texture of the fudge turns out smooth and firm, but soft enough to cut. Here's how to make fudge on your stovetop and in your microwave.

What happens if you don't beat fudge long enough?

However, if you don't beat it at all, the crystals won't form properly, so your fudge won't set. If you forget to beat the fudge, try heating it back up over low heat, then beat it once it's slightly softened. If you beat the fudge too soon, the crystals will be too large, and the fudge will be grainy.

What not to do when making fudge?

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid for Candy Shop-Worthy Fudge and Caramels Using the Wrong Pan. All candy and confections start by melting sugar. ... Stirring the Sugar. ... Not Using a Candy Thermometer. ... Leaving Out the Parchment Paper Lining. ... Skipping the Cooking Spray. ... Scraping the Pot. ... Using a Cold Knife to Slice. Dec 16, 2015

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty?

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

How do you know when to stop beating fudge?

Let the mixture cool before beating. The temperature at this point should be 43°C to 45°C (110°F to 113°F). The fudge should be warm but not burning hot. Stop beating when the surface of the mixture starts to look dull or matte.

Can you beat fudge too much?

Beating the cooled batter is one of the crucial steps of fudge-making, but overbeating can turn fudge hard as a rock. Pay close attention to the change in appearance and only beat the fudge until it loses its glossy sheen.

Should you constantly stir fudge?

Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer If you continue stirring once the mixture is simmering, you are encouraging the development of sugar crystals. While crystallization is the goal if you're making hard candy, crunchy sugar bits can quickly ruin a fudge's silky smooth texture.

Should you whisk fudge?

Add the vanilla, then beat in a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk until it cools to 60C. This will help break up any large sugar crystals. The fudge should be thick and matte-looking. Spoon the fudge into the prepared tin and press down with a spoon to smooth the surface.

What happens if you over stir fudge?

Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has come to a boil, do not stir it. If you do, the sugar can crystallize, giving your fudge a gritty texture. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.

Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (2024)

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I love making fudge from different types of sweets and confectionary and for this one instead of chocolate bars I decided to use Caramac chocolate, a bar that reminds me of my childhood and the inability to eat a whole bar in one go!

The Caramac caramel bars don’t have quite the same consistency as chocolate and so the fudge created is lovely and smooth but softer than other slow cooker fudge recipes we’ve made. If you want a more solid fudge, add more Caramac to the mix.

Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (1)

For this easy fudge recipe we used standard 30g Caramac bars but you could also use Caramac Buttons – if you can find them – and I have seen talk online of Caramac chips which I’ve never seen before and may be an overseas thing but I think they’d work really well for this recipe.

Caramac is quite expensive but I found a deal on the Cherryz app with 3 bars for £1 instead of 60p each in the supermarket. It’s a great app – like a pound shop but with loads of variety and without the need to actually leave the house!

Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (2)

How long does slow cooker fudge keep for?

This slow cooker fudge keeps well in the fridge, in anairtight containerfor a couple of weeks. The flavour matures over the first couple of days of it being in the fridge so you get the full flavour after it’s been in the fridge for a few days.

Can you make slow cooker fudge with evaporated milk?

Our slow cooker fudge works because condensed milk has a really high sugar content, needed to create that beautifully rich fudge. Evaporated milk isn’t the same, doesn’t have that sugar content and isn’t thick enough to help the fudge thicken and set. You can’t use evaporated milk in these recipes – so get some condensed milk instead.

Can you make this fudge in the microwave?

Many people make fudge in the microwave but I much prefer the control I have when I make it in the crock pot or slow cooker. If you don’t have a slow cooker, make it in the microwave by putting the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heating on short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between. Then follow the instructions as per the recipe below.

Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (3)

Do you cook slow cooker fudge high or low temperature?

We always cook fudge on a high slow cooker temperature setting and it takes around 40 minutes in total. You could make it on the low setting but it would take longer and would still need to be stirred regularly. You may as well keep the slow cooker on high and be done in under an hour!

When cooking, is the slow cooker fudge lid on or off?

When making slow cooker fudge, you need to remove the slow cooker lid otherwise excess moisture would be retained in the slow cooker pot and the fudge wouldn’t thicken as it needs to.

What equipment do you need to make slow cooker fudge?

Slow cooker fudge doesn’t need anything special to make it, and you probably already have everything you need at home, but this is the equipment we use:

A slow cooker
A wooden spoon
A spatula
A square baking tin
Baking paper sheets
Good quality knivesto cut the fudge into pieces
Airtight containersfor storage
Food gift bagsto package it up and give the fudge as gifts

Once you’ve got everything you need to make the fudge you can just keep making it again and again – in so many different flavours too!

Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (5)

So here’s our perfect Caramac Fudge slow cooker recipe:

Ingredients

A 397 ml tincondensed milk
500g Caramac – roughly 16-17 standard Caramac Bars

Instructions

Break the Caramac up and add to the slow cooker bowl with the sweetened condensed milk
Turn the slow cooker on to high and leave to cook for 40 minutes with the lid off, stirring every ten minutes.
When melted, thick and well combined, pour the mixture into a tin lined with parchment paper or silicone baking tray and put in the fridge to set – preferably overnight.

If you’d like to pin or print this Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge recipe for making fudge later you can do so below. Happy baking!

Two Ingredient Slow Cooker Caramac Fudge

Caramac fudge that tastes just like the bars you used to enjoy as a child! Just two ingredients and so simple to make.

Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, British

Keyword fudge, slow cooker

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 40 pieces

Ingredients

A 397 ml tin condensed milk
500 g Caramac – roughly 16-17 standard Caramac Bars

Instructions

Break the Caramac up and add to the slow cooker bowl with the sweetened condensed milk
Turn the slow cooker on to high and leave to cook for 40 minutes with the lid off, stirring every ten minutes.
When melted, thick and well combined, pour the mixture into a tin lined with parchment paper or silicone baking tray and put in the fridge to set – preferably overnight.

*Note: Nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.