How To Fix Grainy And Overcooked Fudge So It's Soft Again - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

How To Fix Grainy And Overcooked Fudge So It's Soft Again - Tasting Table? ›

To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water. Cook it over low heat until the fudge dissolves. Then bring the fudge back up to the temperature specified in the recipe and follow the remaining steps. The flavor may be slightly diluted, but the texture will be improved.

You have one option to make it soft, which is you have to put the fudge pieces in a plastic bag along with the paper towel or a bread slice. Secure the bag and leave it overnight, next day you will get a softened fudge.

The solution? A fudge do-over. Even though it set up properly, I threw it back into a saucepan with about 1 1/2 cups of water and gently heated the mixture to dissolve the fudge into the water. From there, I pretty much re-did the whole cooking process.

Just dump your fudge back into the pot along with a cup or so of water, and put it over very low heat until it's all melted and hom*ogenous. Then, heat the mix to whichever temperature is specified in your recipe, and give it another go.

Options for what you can do with your unset fudge:

OPTION 1) Depending on how runny it is, you can either use it as a frosting for cakes, or a sauce for ice-cream. OPTION 2) Freeze it overnight. Cut it into squares. Cover each square thickly in melted chocolate, ensuring no part of the fudge is exposed.

Undercooked. This fudge was cooked until the temperature reached only108 °C (226 °F). At this temperature, the sugar is not concentrated enough... there is too much leftover water in the syrup and the resulting fudge is soft.

If your Tablet is grainy but not sugary but you'd prefer it to be just a little smoother then it is all down to the beating. Once you take your Tablet off the heat let it cool for 2 / 3 minutes and then beat it for a good 5 minutes vigorously.

Does your fudge have a gritty or grainy texture? The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up.

So to recap, it's best to store proper fudge at room temperature. Keeping it in the fridge takes out all its moisture, drying it out. Homemade fudge is best in the fridge. No matter where you store it, the goal is to protect the fudge from exposure to the elements so airtight containers are best!

What is the secret to smooth fudge? ›

By cooling the fudge prior to agitation (like in the recipes included in this article), on the other hand, you'll get much smaller, finer sugar crystals and a finished fudge with a smooth, creamy texture. Cool the mixture until it reads 120° F on the thermometer—no stirring. This can take 1 to 1/2 hours.

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. Do not rely on the cooking time indicated in your recipe.

Saucepan: Choose a heavy, straight-sided metal saucepan that holds about twice the volume of your fudge recipe. A heavy pan distributes heat evenly so the ingredients are less likely to scorch when they boil at high temperature. Using a large saucepan gives the ingredients room to expand when they boil.

For both problems, you'll need to melt the fudge back down to allow the sugar crystals to properly dissolve or to allow the overcooked fudge to soften up again. It may seem counterintuitive to cook overcooked fudge even more, but trust us, you just need to start the fudge over from scratch.

Of course, if your fudge has a distinctly burnt or scorched flavor, you'll have to start over with a fresh batch. To fix soft fudge or hard fudge, simply follow these easy steps: Scrape the fudge back into a large saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir the fudge over low heat until it dissolves.

OMG My fudge is grainy, what do I do? -

Pop the grainy fudge back into the pan along with some water and a little cream and melt the fudge back down to a liquid and re-boil it to temperature. Heat slowly to begin with and make sure the mixture goes completely smooth before bringing it to the boil.

As water gradually evaporates, sugar is concentrated and the temperature of the mixture rises above 100°C (212°F). 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.

If the fudge is very soft and slightly chewy then it is possible that it did not quite cook to soft ball stage and next time the mixture should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature (soft ball is 112-116c/235-240F and a sugar or candy thermometer can help).

As much as I'd like to use 2 cups of hot fudge all at once, there's no way I can do that. The great thing about this recipe is that you can chill and reheat it whenever you need to. Simply store it, covered, in the refrigerator, then microwave or heat in a small saucepan until it's thin enough to pour.

Wondering why my fudge is like caramel is all about correct temperatures and textures. If the temperature is too low, the fudge will be too soft and sticky, and if it's too high, it will turn into a hard, crumbly mess.