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ThisBrown Sugar Fudge Recipe requires only 4 ingredients, 10 minutes, and a little patience until the first sweet, heavenly bite. It’s a gourmet fudge recipe, but also one of my favorite simple fudge recipes!
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Hi friends, I’m Katrina from Kitchen Trials and I’m so happy to be sharing one of my favorite fudge recipes with you. I love to BBQ, just like Wendy does…so come on over and say hi, but first…let’s talk about this fudge!
I had no idea that brown sugar fudge was such a thing until the husband and I started frequenting a little breakfast place years ago (read: years before kids came into the picture). We would gorge on crepes and French toast, piles of bacon, sausages, and hash browns, and giant bowls of fresh fruit. At the end of the meal, when you couldn’t possibly think of eating another bite, they would bring out a little plate of brown sugar fudge. Just two tiny bites for each of us. I mean, you wouldn’t think that fudge was what one needed at 11am in the morning, but it was ABSOLUTELY what I needed.
I never forgot how great that fudge was. Two little bites of sweetness turned out to be the perfect, decadent way to end a morning brunch. Their brown sugar fudge was a bit of a different texture than your typical fudge. This kind just sort of melted in your mouth.
It also brought back some really great memories I had of my grade seven French and history teacher, Mrs Pollitt. We were learning about Canadian history and she brought in a homemade brown sugar pie. If you were from Quebec, I’m sure this was normal to you, but to me it was such a crazy good combination, it’s stuck with me for the last 23 years. This fudge brought that flavour rushing back into my mind. I had to make it myself. Ever since then, it’s been a staple in my Christmas baking, or just whenever I want to make a really special brunch for the family.
Simple Fudge Making Tips for Brown Sugar Fudge
The brown sugar fudge recipe is incredibly easy to make, too. Seriously. Just four ingredients and ten minutes is all you need to whip it up – and then the patience to let it chill and firm up before digging into it. I mean, you could just leave a couple bites worth in the pan or on the spatula, because that will firm up real quick. Not that I do that. Every single time I make this.
All you do is butter a glass baking dish (6”x10” is your best bet if you have it for nice thick squares). Then, add some butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream to a medium pot. Whisk is all together while the butter melts. When it just starts to boil around the edges set a timer for 5 minutes and keep whisking off and on. Once the five minutes is up you move it off the heat, beat in the icing sugar, then pour it into the buttered dish. That’s it!
Make sure to check out all of Wendy’s simplegourmet fudge recipestoo! She might just be a bigger fan of fudge than I am.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter (+ 1 tablespoon for greasing the dish)
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
- Butter a 8” x 8” glass baking dish and set aside.*
- Put 2/3 cup butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar into a medium pot set over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the butter has melted. As soon as the edges start to bubble and boil, set a timer for 5 minutes. Whisk occasionally, and turn to medium-low when it comes to a rolling boil.
- Immediately remove the pot from the heat when the five minutes are up, and add the icing sugar. Whip with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into the prepared dish and chill for 1 hour before cutting and serving.
Notes
*Instead of buttering the pan, you can line the pan with foil with some hanging over the edges so the fudge can be lifted out easily and cut.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 64Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 65Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g
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See all of my simple gourmet fudge recipes here
FAQs
The key to creamy, luscious fudge is controlling crystal formation. If the sucrose (table sugar) crystals are small, the fudge will feel creamy and smooth on your tongue. But if the crystals are large, the fudge develops a crumbly, dry, or even coarse texture.
How do you know when fudge is beaten enough? ›
After letting the fudge cool, it's time to beat it. It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould.
What is the secret to non grainy fudge? ›
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.
Why is my brown sugar fudge grainy? ›
– There are a number of reasons why the fudge was grainy. It might be that you haven't dissolved all the sugar before boiling the fudge mixture. It could be that there just wasn't enough fluid or fat to enable the sugar to dissolve or it might even be that the fudge wasn't beaten long enough or hard enough.
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.
Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer
Another key part of a successful fudge texture is when you stir the mixture. Stirring the sugar and milk during the initial stages of cooking allows the sugar to dissolve. However, once the mixture comes to a boil, it's time to put the spoon down.
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.
How long do you let fudge cool before beating? ›
Fudge 102 – newb's guide to getting started
- about 18 min to reach boiling.
- about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
- 60 minutes to cool.
- 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
- 4 hours to set.
My advice to you is to just pour it in a jar, call it something else delicious, and pretend you meant for it to be that way. The nice thing about my “failed” fudge is that it tastes absolutely delicious! A spoonful of the delectable treat will make you want for more.
What went wrong with my fudge? ›
Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture. Pay attention to the timetable specified in the recipe, and you'll get the hang of it after a batch or two.
OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).
What makes fudge softer? ›
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.
How do you make brown sugar not gritty? ›
To quickly soften brown sugar: place the sugar in a microwave safe bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel for about 20 second, or use a food processor to loosen the brown sugar. If you aren't pressed for time, use a slice of bread or an apple in an airtight container with the brown sugar for 24 hours.
Can you remelt grainy fudge? ›
Pour the fudge back into your pan, and add about a cup of water to it, along with a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk, whipping cream, or whatever cream you're using. Some people skip the water and just add cream to the mixture to reheat.
What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›
Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!
What makes fudge moist? ›
The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.
What is the ball method fudge? ›
According to most recipes, the ingredients of fudge are cooked to what is termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers.
What would cause fudge not to harden? ›
Homemade Fudge Doesn't Always Set
If your fudge doesn't firm up after a few hours, you either have too high an amount of liquid to sugar, or your mixture hasn't reached the soft-ball stage. Using a candy thermometer can help home cooks avoid this problem.
