ISO tips for dry crumbly fudge?

[Mr_Dove]

I made fudge for the first time last night. I used the Alton brown recipe as well as watching that episode of "good eats". I believe that I followed all of the instructions and tips from the episode but I may have missed something.

My results were dry and crumbly. I was able to cut them but they are hard rather than soft.

I'm new to making fudge obviously. It seems like temperate is the main factor in the hardness of the end result. I was very careful with the temperature although I am at about 5,000 feet. Does boiling temp need to be adjusted for altitude?

I'm not even sure what else it could be.

 

[Mr_Dove]

another possible cause. After the mixture cools on the stove top I'm supposed to stir it until the "sheen" turns into a dull matte appearance. I stirred it as hard as I could but couldn't identify a change in the appearance. I eventually put it into a pan when it started to harden up a bit. I didn't want it to set up in the pan.

 

[Hammster]

It's possible the temp may have been too high due to your elevation.
From allrecipes:

As with most cooking at high altitudes, there are modifications that need to be made to candy recipes.
For every 500 feet above sea level, decrease the temperature by one degree. If you live at an altitude of 3500 feet and the recipe calls for cooking to 234 degrees F (112 degrees C), cook it to 227 degrees F (108 degrees C).

You'll notice that's a 7 degree difference (500 x 7 = 3500).

 

[Mr_Dove]

So, my recipe says to take the fudge to 234 degree and I'm at 4500 ft. I adjust it down 9 degrees to 225 degrees?

My recipe says that after boiling I should let it sit and cool until it reaches 138 degrees before stirring. Should I also adjust that temperature? It's not boiling at that point so my guess would be to leave it at 138.

 

[Hammster]

9 degrees sounds about right if following Allrecipe's formula. Perhaps those who live at altitude will also chime in. I'd think the 138 shouldn't change as the point at which to start stirring.

 

[Mr_Dove]

I read another method of determining the correct temperature. I put my candy thermometer in boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes. The boiling point today is showing as 200 exactly on my candy thermometer. That's a 12 degree difference from standard.

Should I subtract 9 degrees or 12 degrees? I'm sure that some of that difference may just be calibration issues with my thermometer.

 

[Hammster]

It's actually only a few degrees off as at your altitude your water won't boil at 212 anyway, but at some lower temperature. Maybe only 3 degrees, eh?

Wow, that's a toughie as you don't know if the 12 degrees is indicating the thermometer is 3 degrees off, or if you should actually use 12 instead of 9 due to your elevation. Do you have some way to measure a known temperature with your thermometer to determine its actual calibration?

So, if your thermometer is 3 degrees low, then when you cooked your candy to 234 you were most likely at 231. Either way, still too high for your elevation.

Any high elevation candy makers care to chime in?

 

[chocotuile]

I can't help with the high elevation part, but to help with the crumbly part: add more corn syrup. Corn syrup is like a type of invert sugar that helps prevent crystallization. Fudge, when over-stirred, tends to crystallize more and can lead to the dry, crumbly texture you spoke of.

 

[Hammster]

I can't help with the high elevation part, but to help with the crumbly part: add more corn syrup. Corn syrup is like a type of invert sugar that helps prevent crystallization. Fudge, when over-stirred, tends to crystallize more and can lead to the dry, crumbly texture you spoke of.

Would the corn syrup help if the cooking temperature of the fudge was too high? Meaning that the recipe calls for it to be just above thread and just below soft ball stage. But, that temp would be at sea level. So, what ended up happening with Mr Dove is the temp was more like firm ball to hard ball stage due to elevation. That was my thinking as to the higher temp causing the problem because the fudge was cooked to more like a harder candy and then stirred which broke the harder candy. Would the corn syrup have helped prevent it in that case? I'd read about corn syrup helping with some issues, but couldn't remember high temp as being one thing it would help with.

 

[chocotuile]

Based on his post, I'm not sure if he did take it to the higher temp or if it was a problem of over-agitation. If more corn syrup was added at the beginning of the cooking process, it could help with the final texture of the fudge. But if you try to add it at the end of cooking, when it is already a hard candy, then it won't mix in.

 

[Hammster]

I took it the other way, that he did take it to 234 degrees which would be about 9 degrees higher than it should have been heated due to the elevation. That would have resulted in a harder candy.
Oh yeah, didn't mean to indicate that the corn syrup be added later, but was wondering if added at the beginning and then the candy cooked to too high of a temp if it would prevent the breakage. I agree it helps with fudge cooked to the correct temperature.

 

[Alix]

Temp too high or cooked too long. You only need to cook fudge to softball stage. I don't have a candy thermometer and my fudge works every time.

Keep a cup of water with ice cubes in it next to the stove. After you've boiled your mixture for a minute, drip some fudgy liquid in the water. If you can get your liquid to form a soft little ball, your fudge is done. Take it out, and put the pan into some cool water in the sink and beat the crap out of it for a minute or so. Don't worry about getting a matte finish as much as feeling the fudge set up and get thick. You'll feel it.

If you go past the soft ball stage of cooking you end up with crackle and very dry stuff. Its lovely all smashed up and put on top of ice cream or in the middle of an ice cream cake.

 

[chocotuile]

Yes, if he did take it to 9 degrees higher, it would be a tougher candy. If you add more corn syrup, it can help compensate for the overcooking and overstirring, but only to a certain point. After all, you don't want the fudge to end up tasting more like corn syrup than chocolate!

 

[Hammster]

Temp too high or cooked too long. You only need to cook fudge to softball stage. I don't have a candy thermometer and my fudge works every time.

Keep a cup of water with ice cubes in it next to the stove. After you've boiled your mixture for a minute, drip some fudgy liquid in the water. If you can get your liquid to form a soft little ball, your fudge is done. Take it out, and put the pan into some cool water in the sink and beat the crap out of it for a minute or so. Don't worry about getting a matte finish as much as feeling the fudge set up and get thick. You'll feel it.

I have to admit I'm a slave to the thermometer. I admire those who can make candy using the glass of ice water method. I suppose soft ball is soft ball regardless of elevation? Then one doesn't have to worry about the actual temperature but more the texture in the glass of water. Seems to make sense.

 

[Alix]

Exactly. You don't need to fuss about temperatures, its all about when the candy gets to the stage you want it to be at. And the best part is getting to eat your "tests"!

Edit: I live at 2200ft roughly, so I never know whether to add or subtract time for stuff. I just wing it most of the time, and try to adapt with methods that don't require too much calculation. Mom taught me soft ball, so that's what I use.

I still screw up occasionally, but that's usually because I'm attempting to multitask and do something stupid like text while cooking. Bad idea.

 

[chocotuile]

I agree! I think I eat more of the "tests" than I'm supposed to and invariably wonder where all the fudge has gone!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I lived at 7000 ft for most of my young life, I always just went by the temp on the thermometer, I only worried about High Altitude when I was baking. Candy always turned out just right.

Now I have problems with baking at a Lower Altitude...things just don't "feel" right and I tend to over mix. Funny how a lifetime of habit can be messed up by a simple move.

 

[chocotuile]

I'm sure! I have never baked at high altitudes, but am told that there's a host of problems that go along with the altitude. So you under mix at high altitudes?

 

[letscook]

One thing I learned is don't skimp on the sugar by using a store brand. Buy a good quality brand like Dominios. I did once and I got goo for fudge and had to throw it out. Worth the extra money as you save from not throwing out .

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm sure! I have never baked at high altitudes, but am told that there's a host of problems that go along with the altitude. So you under mix at high altitudes?

I'm not sure, exactly, but I suspect that I am over kneading when I make bread...I can't seem to get the right feel most of the time. I've had to go back to the basics. Like trying to relearn how to ride a bike...