Whenever I’m on vacation and there is a candy shop nearby, I like to buy some local fudge. I don’t make fudge often at home (probably because I’d eat it all), but I love it as a special treat! Over Thanksgiving, Matt & I took the kids to Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterpark and I hit the sweet shop for some treats. OMG, they had the most amazing fudge! Our favorite flavor was a dark chocolate spicy fudge. It was smooth and creamy with just a touch of heat at the finish. For Valentine’s Day, Matt requested that I buy him “some type of spicy dark chocolate”, so I decided to try my hand at making my own Chili Chocolate Fudge!
I modified the popular marshmallow fluff fudge recipe in order to create this fudge. It turned out perfectly! This fudge isn’t overly spicy (to our standards) so if you like a stronger finish you’ll want to add a bit more spice. If you like just a touch of heat after the chocolate has melted in your mouth, then you will love this!
Spicy Chili Dark Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 3 T butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Lightly grease or line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Set aside.
- Combine marshmallow fluff, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a large saucepan over medium (to medium-high) heat. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Cook until temperature reaches 225• or about 6 minutes.
- Remove from heat and mix in semisweet chocolate chips stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in chili powder, cayenne pepper, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and allow to set. Cut when firm yet warm, wiping knife off after each cut. (Refrigeration will cause fudge to set up more quickly but may also cause fudge to crumble when cut.)
https://www.homestoriesatoz.com/recipes/chili-chocolate-fudge-recipe-spicy.html
This recipe works best if you take the time to get all of your ingredients ready to pour in beforehand. Honestly, I find that ALL of my recipes turn out better when I pretend I’m on a cooking show and get everything pour and sprinkle ready beforehand! Fudge is easy to make but it can also be tricky. If it’s not cooked properly it can turn out too soft, too crumbly, or my least favorite–grainy. This recipe is fairly foolproof. If you use a candy thermometer and stir it constantly, it should turn out perfectly.
Cook your fudge to “soft ball stage” which happens at around 235•F. If you don’t own a candy thermometer, cook your fudge at a rolling boil for around 6 minutes. Don’t forget to stir, stir, stir!
Remove the mixture from the stove and immediately add your chocolate chips and spices. Move quickly! It will start setting up immediately so don’t dawdle. Thoroughly mix in your spices and pour the fudge into your prepared pan.
At this point you can pop the fudge into the refrigerator for about an hour, or you can just be patient and allow it to cool on the counter. If you cool your fudge until it hardens in the refrigerator, the butter will harden and your fudge will be crumbly. When cutting your fudge, use a long butcher’s knife and wipe off the blade after each pass. This will help ensure that your fudge squares look beautiful.
Oh yum. Enjoy the deliciousness! This recipe makes about 3 pounds of fudge which is a LOT of fudge. Yikes! I’m going to need Matt to take his gift of fudge with him to work, so I don’t eat it all. Store your fudge wrapped in plastic wrap in an air tight container to keep it from drying out. You can also freeze any extras by placing them in an air-tight container.
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FAQs
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.
Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.
What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›
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.
Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›
Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.
What makes high quality fudge? ›
You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).
Should I stir fudge while boiling? ›
You should mix the cream, butter, and sugar when making your fudge, but put down the spoon once it has reached its boiling point. Stirring while your sugar mixture is boiling will only form sugar crystals and make your fudge crunchy rather than silky smooth.
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. As you beat the fudge, pay attention to color and texture. Once the fudge loses its sheen and thickens, put down your spoon.
What can you do with failed 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.
Is there any way to fix fudge that didn't set? ›
To fix it, you can reheat the fudge mixture over low heat and continue cooking until it reaches the proper temperature. Be sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Alternatively, you can try to salvage chewy fudge by mixing it into ice cream or using it as a topping for desserts.
Can you reboil fudge that hasn't set? ›
Don't panic if your fudge is grainy, nothing is lost it just requires some more work. 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.
If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream. Stir the fudge as it heats, but only until the sugar in the chocolate is completely melted again.
How long do you boil fudge to get to soft-ball stage? ›
How long does it take to make fudge:
- 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.
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. The ideal temperature to cook fudge is between 232-234 degrees F (111-112 degrees C).
What should fudge look like after beating? ›
The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.
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 keeps fudge from getting hard? ›
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.
Why won t my fudge go hard? ›
If your fudge fails to harden in the fridge, it means that you probably didn't cook it to the right temperature. Fudge is a candy, and that means it is extremely picky about temperature - fudge must be cooked to precisely 237–239 degrees Fahrenheit so that sugar forms the desired consistency when cooled.
Why is my fudge not creamy? ›
If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.
