How long does fudge last? Can you freeze it? What’s the best way to store it? All of your fudge FAQ (and a recipe) are in this guide!
Fudge is a type of no bake candy treat that may or may not chocolate. Depending on the flavor, fudge can contain add-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, peanut butter or flavors like coffee or mint.
Some popular fudge flavors include rocky road fudge, red velvet fudge, gingerbread fudge, M&M fudge, S’mores fudge, peanut butter fudge and my favorite fudge recipe…Clotted Cream Fudge.
Like most sweet treats, you can either buy fudge at a grocery or candy store or make it at home. To make fudge at home, you will need just a few basic ingredients and any mix-ins you want to add. Since fudge is typically very sweet, cut and serve your fudge in small bite-sized pieces.
If you’re hoping to keep your fudge tucked away for quite some time, storing it in the freezer is a great option. Fudge properly stored in the freezer will last for 2 to 3 months. Some fudge can last up to a year in the freezer.
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Fudge?
There are different types of fudge, recipes, and ways to make fudge. Some recipes call for sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chocolate chips, while others use sugar, butter, milk, and either chocolate chips or cocoa powder.
Fudge recipes that aren’t chocolate-based, like my Clotted Cream Fudge use ingredients like sugar, golden syrup, and clotted cream (instead of butter).
For extra flavor, you can also add vanilla extract (or other extracts) and a pinch of salt to your fudge. And then, of course, you can add all of your favorite specific add-ins (e.g. nuts, marshmallows, pretzels, peanut butter, etc) or toppings (like fleur-de-sel…yum).
How To Make Fudge?
The easiest way to make fudge is to melt sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chocolate chips on the stove or in the microwave, add mix-ins, and then pour into a lined shallow dish (typically 8×8) to cool and set.
You can also make fudge by cooking the sugar, butter, milk and chocolate or cocoa powder in a saucepan to the soft ball stage. This is when the mixture is between 234 to 240 F in temperature. You can test if it’s at the soft ball stage by dropping a small spoonful of the mixture in cold water and see if it forms a ball you can squish with your fingers.
The next step is to take the fudge mixture off the heat and stir, stir, stir until it cools, thickens, and becomes matte. This can take several minutes. Once the mixture has cooled, pour into a shallow pan to set before cutting into individual pieces.
As the success of making the second type of fudge is dependent on the temperature of the dissolved sugar, it is imperative that a candy thermometer is used during the cooking process. I love and use this one.
How To Freeze Fudge
FAQ
How do you freeze and defrost fudge?
Can you freeze fudge to harden it?
Can you freeze sweetened condensed milk fudge?
Will fudge set faster in the freezer?
Does Fudge freeze well?
Some fudge types freeze better than others. A dense fudge mixture generally freezes better than lighter types. It is important to consider the type of toppings or filling you add to your fudge as this may affect the quality during thawing. Cherries and other ingredients with a high water content won’t freeze well.
Does freezing Fudge ruin its taste or texture?
Freezing fudge doesn’t ruin its taste or texture. For this reason, it has become an American favorite and was especially popular during challenging times in the country. Fudge is cheap, delicious, easy to make, and provides a lot of calories using just a few ingredients.
Can you freeze chocolate fudge without condensed milk?
Place the wrapped fudge in an air tight container, or freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. When storing fudge, place it inside the freezer and not on any freezer door shelves. It is colder with a more consistent temperature inside the freezer. You can follow these steps to freeze chocolate fudge without condensed milk.
How long does Fudge last in the freezer?
In the freezer, when properly wrapped, fudge will store at its best for three months and potentially as long as 12 months. Freezing fudge should have little impact on the texture and flavor of the fudge, as long as it has been wrapped and stored properly in the freezer, although there can be a slight change in the texture.