Fudge Makers........PLEASE HELP!

[runninduo]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I've made fudge a few times with excellent results. Today, I've made it three times and it's not coming out. It's sort of separating on me when I stir in the chocolate. I'm gonna go broke on this endeavor.

Anyone know what makes it separate? Too much stirring? Too high heat? I wanted to bring some to my hubby's aunt's house tomorrow. I still have the time and ingredients to make another batch. I may have to take out a 2nd mortgage on my house, but I made a trip to the store for more ingredients.

One other time I made it I had problems, but got it to work on the third time. I can tell as soon as it goes bad. Maybe I am stirring too much.

i eagerly await your advice/suggestions.

Thanks!!!!!!!! I've listed the recipe below


1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
1.5 cups of white sugar
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 tsp of salt
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
1 cup Semi-sweet choc chips
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat the marshmallow, sugar, butter, salt and evaporated milk over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 min stirring constantly.
2. Stir in the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour into a lined 8x8 square pan (which I set up at the outset). And put in fridge for 2 hrs til set.

 

[Alix]

Weird. I am not a fudge maker so I don't have an informed opinion here. I know that 5 minutes would be WAY too long in my kitchen. Do you test it at all? Drip any of the mixture into ice water to see if it is at soft ball stage or anything like that?

 

[runninduo]

Thanks Alix.

I'm so damn compulsive when it comes to things like this. I was making it while you responded and the same thing. I must be overheating hte mixture. THough I have no clue why it worked previous times.

Anyway........thanks. I can't believe i messed it up 4x. What a waste.

And, I was already a lousy day! I can literally say "OH FUDGE".

Laur

 

[Alix]

OK...LOL!

I have seen a wonderful fudge recipe on here somewhere....I will search and then post the link for you.

 

[Alix]

http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=5450

Try that Laurie. There are some AWESOME recipes in there and Audeo gives some excellent advice.

If you want a truly easy fudge recipe let me know. Mine is the cheating condensed milk one so I hesitate to post the recipe. It is truly foolproof though.

 

[Audeo]

Runningduo, the problem in your recipe is in combining the marshmallow cream to the milk and sugar! Marshmallow creme, which is, in essence, a fondant, gets really ticked off when you do that!

Using the very same ingreadients that you list...

Combine the butter, sugar, evaporated milk and salt in a heavy saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a full boil and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove the milk mixture from the heat and add the marshmallow cream, the chocolate chips, and everything else. Now stir the stuff until the marshmallow and chocolate are melted and the mixture is well blended, then pour into your pan and allow to cool at room temp.

This recipe ought to make some outstanding fudge! I'm so sorry to hear of your frustrations!!!

 

[Alix]

Audeo to the rescue!

 

[runninduo]

Audeo and Alix-

Thanks for your input. I made a 5th batch, adding the marshmallow at the end.......same thing. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I'm wondering.......maybe I'm not cooking the mixture long enough. When do you start the counting.......when it's really really boiling or when the bubbles first come to the surface? I'm starting when a lot of bubbles are at the surface, but it's not going "full throtle".

Also, when the mixture is coming up to a boil, should i stir the mixture. And, if so, how frequently.

Thanks!!!!

Laur

p.s. I have spent about $10 on chocolate chips (luckily with the holidays, it's been on sale), $3 on marshmallows and/or marshmallow (i actually use marshmallows instead of the creme-i know that's not the culprit b/c I used them when the fudge was successful), about $1.75 on butter, $3 on evaporated milk. It's been an expensive and frustrating day. Maybe I'll try one final batch in the morning.

 

[Audeo]

Audeo to the rescue!

Ha! Boy, did I mess up here!!! With apologies to all, I got caught up in the fact that the marshmallow cream was being cooked and missed the whole shebang....

Runningduo, if you have the courage and pantry left, do the following.

1. Throw out your recipe.

2. Use this recipe instead:

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. jar of marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon vanilla

Place the milk, butter and sugar in your saucepan and bring to a distinctive boil (it's going to be bubbling all over the surface). From the time the sugar and milk and butter are placed over the heat, start stirring to dissolve the sugar. If your medium heat won't produce a full "rolling" boil, turn up the heat to medium-high. Once you see the boil cover the entire surface, cook for 5 minutes more -- and stir CONSTANTLY to keep this stuff from scorching. (Slow stirs...)

Okay...a sideline: Evaporated milk is precisely that! Is has had a great deal of the water evaporated from it, which is why this type of fudge cooks so quickly. It should reach the soft ball stage in the 5 minutes of boiling. Not knowing what your weather is...either clip on a candy thermometer/digital and stop cooking when it reaches 238 degrees, or get a clear glass of cold tap water and let a drop of the milk mixture fall into the water. If it forms a ball GREAT! Further, when you touch the "ball" of syrup and it is soft, FANTASTIC!

At this point, remove from heat and dump in the chocolate and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour into pan.

Egads! What a humbling evening!

Runningduo, I'm so sorry that I didn't catch the sugar discrepancy beforehand. I really think you will be just fine now.

PS: Save all those failed batches! They can be remelted into killer fudge topping for ice cream!!! (And you can freeze them...)

 

[runninduo]

Thanks, Audeo.

After 6 (SIX, set, seis) batches, I am ready to retire my recipe. Yes, yes, I tried it again, letting it boil what i thought was longer and more powerfully and still.

I'll try yours. I need more evaporated milk. I had one can, then bought two more and the 6 batches wiped out the 3 cans. Luckily the chips (ghiardelli) are on sale for $2. I'll go and get more tomorrow.....and more evap milk.

In your recipe, unless I'm overlooking it, when do you add the marshmallow.....with the chips? if it's there, i'm sorry......i've been making fudge on and off for the past 6.5 hrs. LOL.

I live in LA where it's relatively dry, so humidity shouldn't be a factor.

Thanks again, audeo!!!!!!

I'm off to bed and it's only 8:35pm. I wish i had known the other uses for failed fudge......i've thrown out all but one batch of the fudge.

 

[Audeo]

Oh, runninduo!!!!!!

I know...I know!!! But, by golly, you absolutely must hand it to yourself for sticktuitiveness!!!!

Add the marshmallow cream at the same time as the chocolate chips...after the syrup is done.

And that last saved batch is going to be really, really good over ice cream....Saturday?

Boy, if you don't deserve a special award, I don't know who does!!

Very best wishes to you and yours for a spectacular day tomorrow!

 

[runninduo]

Thanks, Audeo.

I can't believe quite how obsessed I was over this (even for me). It was just so frustrating b/c I've done it at least 3 times successfully. I came downstairs (at 5:35am) to see what time my grocery store opens today. LOL.I need more evaporated milk. I am DETERMINED to make this work. My 3 yr old decided that 4:56am was a good time to wake up. He knows he has to stay in his room til it's light outside, and if Ralph's (grocery store) is open at 6am, he's going there in his PJs. LOL. My huband has to work from 8am-4pm today (he's in law enforcement), so maybe I'll try another batch while my son is eating breakfast!

ANyway, thanks again for your advice. I'm definitely gonna use a candy thermometer next time i make it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Audeo]

Runninduo, again, I think you deserve a very special award for your determination! Boy, how I hope the next batch is stellar and perfect!!!

May your husband enjoy a quiet, relaxed day on duty today and may you all enjoy the best Thanksgiving ever!!

 

[runninduo]

I give up! I think it has to do with how I'm stirring hte chocolate in. Today, on the 3rd batch i tried, it looked good till the end and then as i added the last bit of chips it went bad. i definitely need to stir the chip in in batches..........i don't know why it's not working for me when I had success before.

I've officially given up........after 9 batches. I feel like a complete doofus.

oh well. I'm pretty sure the pumpking cheesecase I made to bring for thanksgiving will be good.

Thanks again for all your support. My husband said I should write to Tyler Florence to get on Food 911, but I didn't see anything ont he foodtv site that they were looking for people.

c'est lat vie.

laur

 

[Alix]

Want my easy recipe now Laurie?

Ingredients
3 cups (18 ounces)semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk-chocolate chips)
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
Dash salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
In heavy saucepan; over low heat, melt chips with Eagle Brand® and salt. Remove from heat; stir in nuts if desired and vanilla. Spread evenly into waxed paper lined 8- or 9-inch square pan
Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off waxed paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.


OK, thats what the recipe says. Now what I do is toss the chips and Eagle Brand into the microwave for about a minute, then stir. Throw it back in if I need to. Stir in the vanilla (or maple....YUM) dump it in the pan and toss it in the fridge.

I know it is not really fudge, but oh it is sooooo good.

 

[Audeo]

I know it is not really fudge, but oh it is sooooo good.

The heck it ISN'T fudge! Is so!!!!!

Thank YOU, Alix, for coming to the rescue! For the life of me, runninduo, I haven't a clue what's going on, but I'd sure try Alix's recipe...when you recover from the financial shock!

Welcome to my nightmare. I have easily wasted conservatively $1,000 over the years in failed this or that in candies. Easily. And then those days come when you happen upon a recipe, a technique, a speed of stirring, a method of squeezing....and you stick to what works like epoxy!

Don't give up the ship! Practice, practice...and enjoy that ice cream! Hmmm...maybe I should look up my old list of "Failure Recycling"....

 

[runninduo]

Thanks, Ladies.

It's so bizarre how the first few times I made it, it was perfect. The last time (b/f this episode), it took me 3 times. I made it 9 times. It definitely had to do with the amt of mixing and the "speed" that I added the chips, b/c it looked ok to a point, then at the end, went caflouey!

Oh well.......lessons learned.

Thanks again for the support and encouragement.

 

[Alix]

Laurie, when you have some more money, and feel like trying again, try the Eagle brand recipe I posted. It is easy and never fails. I would like to know if it compares to you other recipe. Thanks!!

 

[Audeo]

Laurie, when you have some more money, and feel like trying again, try the Eagle brand recipe I posted. It is easy and never fails. I would like to know if it compares to you other recipe. Thanks!!

And it is really, REALLY delicious, too!