Published January 1, 2007.
We learned several lessons in developing an old-fashioned chocolate fudge recipe with a slightly grainy texture and melt-in-your-mouth creaminess: Add more chocolate than traditional fudge recipes call for; heat it precisely (getting the sugar syrup to 234 degrees will make your fudge too soft but getting the temperature up to 238 degrees will give it the right crumbly texture); cool it quickly (we froze half of the chocolate to stir into the cooked mixture along with frozen butter to cool the fudge down fast). Finally, the process takes big muscles. While our “lazy man” method cut stirring time considerably, it still takes strength.
Corn syrup can be substituted for the chocolate syrup. Avoid stirring the fudge while cooking. If during cooking in step 3 you notice a thick edge of syrup that is not boiling, briefly stir the syrup with a clean wooden spoon. You can skip the step of shocking the hot pan in cool water, but if so you should remove the fudge from the heat when it’s 1 to 2 degrees cooler, in order to compensate for the heat from the pan further cooking the syrup; the syrup will also take 10 to 20 minutes longer to cool. If it is raining or especially humid when you are making fudge, boil the syrup in step 3 to 237 or 238 degrees before you start to test for doneness. This will compensate for the added moisture the sugar will absorb from the air. If the fudge sets too soon and crumbles when you try to spread it into the pan, reheat it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until some of the sugar melts and the fudge becomes more fluid. Continue to stir until the fudge cools again and can be spread easily. Tightly wrapped in waxed paper or plastic, the fudge can be stored for up to 2 weeks in a cool cabinet or 3 months in the freezer. Defrost frozen fudge thoroughly before eating. For a complete illustrated guide, refer to the illustrations below.
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