From the Wikipedia article on fudge,
Are you trying to make a hard caramel?
Fudge?
- Thread starter SlowCook66
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SlowCook66
Cook
Yeah maybe you’re right, but all O want is something that has the composition and look of fudge, but hard similar to em old fashion boardwalk fudges. I’m also wondering why I’m burning more and more the bottom of my pot. Can my pot be overused…. Do I need spécial non slip pots to do fudge?
SlowCook66
Cook
No I’m trying to make hard old fashioned fudge like the kind of boardwalk style. I would like it hard to the point where you press on it hard but your finger doesn’t sink in the fusge
Old fashioned Hard Fudge this sounds an awful lot like my sister's recipe.
A lot fewer ingredients but with specific instructions. The soft ball stage (we didn't use a thermometer then) the waiting/resting, the beating.
Might be worth a try.
234 F = 112 C = Soft Ball Stage
110 F = 34 C and 120 F = 49 C
Now that I think about your recipe posted with the Corn Syrup - could that be why it is not hardening? We have used corn syrup in other candy type confections (long tim ago - don't remember which) to keep them from 'hardening'.
A lot fewer ingredients but with specific instructions. The soft ball stage (we didn't use a thermometer then) the waiting/resting, the beating.
Might be worth a try.
234 F = 112 C = Soft Ball Stage
110 F = 34 C and 120 F = 49 C
Now that I think about your recipe posted with the Corn Syrup - could that be why it is not hardening? We have used corn syrup in other candy type confections (long tim ago - don't remember which) to keep them from 'hardening'.
SlowCook66
Cook
Meh, I tried with corn syrup, without corn syrup and still the same problem ….. which is it’s practically impossible to get to the 114-118C without mixing while it’s boiling. It burns the bottom of pot. Oddly enough every YouTube video says not to mix the mixture while it’s ramping up to 114-118C because if we mix it will cause large sugar crystals and that’s not going to give a smooth texture. So how do we get to the target temperatures without mixing. Sometimes I let it heat 30 minutes boiling and it only gets to at best 106-108C past that it burns the bottom of the pot
SlowCook66
Cook
I even tried with only milk, only sweetened condensed milk and tried it also with 50/50 evaporated milk/sweetened condensed milk and always the same problem can’t get to the proper temperature to make VERY HARD old fashion fudge
msmofet
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Welcome to DC
SlowCook66
Cook
Thanks
Are you relying strictly on your thermometer? Did you ever suspect it might be wrong?
Why dont' you try a water test for soft, medium and hard ball.
Keep a glass of ice cold water and drop some droplets of the candy into it. Pour off the water and test the drop of candy for the various stages.
Soft ball retains its shape but then flattens when the water is poured off.
Medium ball retains its shape even after the water is poured off but you can still press it with your finger.
Hard ball not only retains its shape but you can't really press it down. It is "hard" - a hard sugar candy!
Try it - you might be surprised.
Why dont' you try a water test for soft, medium and hard ball.
Keep a glass of ice cold water and drop some droplets of the candy into it. Pour off the water and test the drop of candy for the various stages.
Soft ball retains its shape but then flattens when the water is poured off.
Medium ball retains its shape even after the water is poured off but you can still press it with your finger.
Hard ball not only retains its shape but you can't really press it down. It is "hard" - a hard sugar candy!
Try it - you might be surprised.
SlowCook66
Cook
Hi, for some reason I prefer the thermometer! I got a new pot and the fudge sticks a lot less. Although I still need to stir very minimally though
LOL, we all prefer the thermometer, I'm sure. But if I was having the trouble that you seem to be I would certainly I give it a try!
SlowCook66
Cook
I’m using two different candy thermometers (brand new) a laser gun thermometer and a handheld pin thermometer…. They can’t all be wrong. Now for sanities sake I tried with the cold water method which is only good to tell me soft ball which isn’t what I want. I need the water to be completely evaporated which is 118C. Will your cold water trick actually tell me when I’m at 118C??? I want fudge where when you press your finger on it with all your might, your finger won’t sink!! So it’s not so simple.
Running out of ideas here. But something has come to mind. The longer you cook to make your fudge firm - the crumblier it is going to suddenly get. My sister would swear under her breath when that happened. And her favourite swear word was 'OH FUDGE!'
I think that smooth innards on a hard fudge could be done in a commercial setting but not so easily at home.
The 118 C is only 244.4 F - which is firm ball (not hard ball like you would make for Rock Candy) I am completely not understanding why the cocoa should make it impossible to pass your temperature.
Out of curiosity, where did you have this firm fudge before? Do you have a brand name?
Or did you make it by accident once, liked it and are trying to reproduce?
I think that smooth innards on a hard fudge could be done in a commercial setting but not so easily at home.
The 118 C is only 244.4 F - which is firm ball (not hard ball like you would make for Rock Candy) I am completely not understanding why the cocoa should make it impossible to pass your temperature.
Out of curiosity, where did you have this firm fudge before? Do you have a brand name?
Or did you make it by accident once, liked it and are trying to reproduce?
SlowCook66
Cook
I never tried to go higher than 118C because I am scared to burn it. Already at 118C the fudge inside is crumbly. But now I bought a new pot very anti stick and I am slowly getting better results but still slightly crumbly.
I am trying to do something different I haven’t seen this type of fudge anywhere.
I have some questions l, wonder if you can help me:
1) Should the sugar be melted on its own before adding the Cocoa powder and evaporated milk?
2) Should we really never mix the fudge while it’s heating up to 118C?
3) After the fudge reached to 118C should we just let it rest until it cools down to 110C?
4) Do you think that heating the fudge to higher than 118C is possible ? And if so what temperature can we bring it to before it starts burning?
5) How long should we kneed the fudge ?
Thanks so much!
Here is an article on Candy Making tips ,
perhaps that will give you an idea of what you can and cannot do.
All this time I (and I think others) thought you were trying to replicate something you had had. Not create something new! Truth to tell, by its very nature fudge is defined as soft, not hard.
Actually you could leave it to just plain dry out. Might become a bit stale but it would certainly be hard. Do you have a dehydrator? if not try your oven at it's lowest temperature 100 - 120 or so.
At this point what do you have to lose? That the price of creativity.
Edit:
Be very careful if you do "dry" it out that it doesn't become rock hard - a broken tooth could be a side effect.
perhaps that will give you an idea of what you can and cannot do.
All this time I (and I think others) thought you were trying to replicate something you had had. Not create something new! Truth to tell, by its very nature fudge is defined as soft, not hard.
Actually you could leave it to just plain dry out. Might become a bit stale but it would certainly be hard. Do you have a dehydrator? if not try your oven at it's lowest temperature 100 - 120 or so.
At this point what do you have to lose? That the price of creativity.
Edit:
Be very careful if you do "dry" it out that it doesn't become rock hard - a broken tooth could be a side effect.
1. There is a danger to melting sugar and then adding the powder and milk. That sugar will be very hot and could possibly 'burn' the powder and the milk spatter and 'burn' you.
2. Don't know.
3. I believe you are supposed to but I don't make fudge - do what the recipe says, they say it for a reason.
4. Candy making often goes higher than 118C. Suggest you read the article I posted a link to. Have no idea of the burning point as have never done it. I will say that as a young teenager I often made pull taffy with my friends. We neither used a thermometer nor ever burned it and the temperature was in the range of 130 C. or so.
5. Never heard of kneading fudge. Beating after it has cooled, yes. Just do as the recipes say. Again, there is a reason they say it.
SlowCook66
Cook
Yeah thanks I’ll keep on testingHere is an article on Candy Making tips ,
perhaps that will give you an idea of what you can and cannot do.
All this time I (and I think others) thought you were trying to replicate something you had had. Not create something new! Truth to tell, by its very nature fudge is defined as soft, not hard.
Actually you could leave it to just plain dry out. Might become a bit stale but it would certainly be hard. Do you have a dehydrator? if not try your oven at it's lowest temperature 100 - 120 or so.
At this point what do you have to lose? That the price of creativity.
Edit:
Be very careful if you do "dry" it out that it doesn't become rock hard - a broken tooth could be a side effect.
Is it maybe a New Orleans style praline type of texture that you are looking for?
en.wikipedia.org
Praline (nut confection) - Wikipedia
Kathleen
Cupcake
Our family makes pralines with buttermilk. So good!
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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- Apr 5, 2009
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Recipe? Please
