How to Make Russian Fudge

Russian fudge is an excellent rich treat for loved ones, is a great thank you gift, and is even a delicious reward for yourself. Russian fudge is a sweet that originated in Scotland and soon became beloved by many British colonies. This recipe creates a smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth fudge. With the proper preparation and the right ingredients, you'll soon be enjoying your own homemade Russian fudge.

[Edit]Ingredients

• ½ cup of milk (120 mL)
• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk (60 mL)
• 3 cups sugar (720 mL)
• 1 tbsp corn syrup (or golden syrup; 15 mL)
• ⅛ tsp salt (.625 mL)
• ½ cup + 1 tsp unsalted butter (125 grams)^[1]

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Creating Your Fudge Mixture

1. Gather your materials. Making Russian fudge will requires you to first prepare the fudge mixture and then allowing the fudge batter to cool until it properly sets into fudge proper. In addition to your ingredients, you will also need:
   
   • Baking dish (like a bread pan, 8½" x 4½")
   • Cutting board
   • Cutting knife
   • Large stove top pot (or heavy bottomed saucepan)
   • Measuring cups
   • Metal whisk
   • Thermometer (candy or probe)
   • Wooden spoon
2. Grease your baking dish with butter. Once your Russian fudge mixture has been prepared, you'll have to add it quickly to your baking dish before it firms and becomes difficult to work with. This is why you should grease your pan with unsalted butter before beginning to make your fudge batter.
   
   • Salted butter should be avoided, as it is more likely to burn and impart some saltiness to the fudge.^[2]
   • Forgetting to grease your pan might result in your fudge burning or getting stuck to your baking dish.
   • The fudge batter also easily absorbs oil, leading to altered flavors and increased stickiness to the dish.
3. Mix together the sugar and milk in your pot. Put your pot or saucepan on your stove and turn the burner to medium heat. Allow your pot to heat for a short while before adding the sugar and milk to it.
   
   • Stir the milk and sugar constantly with your wooden spoon while heating the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely.
   • A milky film should appear on top of the mixture when the two ingredients have combined.
4. Lower heat and add more ingredients. Continue stirring your mixture regularly until you notice that the butter, which is one of the ingredients you'll be adding to your mixture, has melted. You'll also need to add to your sugar-milk mixture:
   
   • Butter
   • Condensed milk
   • Salt
   • Corn syrup (or golden syrup)
5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat of your stove-top to high and stir thoroughly and continuously. You'll want to pay special attention to the bottom of your pot or saucepan; you don't want your mixture to build up on the bottom of your cooking dish.
   
   • This stage of your fudge mixture preparation can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.
6. Stir until you reach the soft-ball stage. The soft-ball stage is the temperature at which a sugar solution, when dropped into cold water, forms into soft, malleable balls.^[3] This can be measured with a probe or candy thermometer.
   
   • 235°F (112.78°C) – 240°F (115.56°C) is the temperature range for the soft-ball stage.^[4]
7. Turn off the heat of your stove and cool your mixture. At this point, your Russian fudge mixture should appear golden brown appearance. You'll want to wait about five minutes or so, until the mixture has thickened.
   

[Edit]Finishing Your Russian Fudge

1. Whisk the mixture vigorously. Once your fudge batter has cooled, you should beat it with a whisk until the consistency of it is about that of melted chocolate or thick caramel. The whisking process may take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
   
2. Pour your fudge batter into the greased baking dish. Once your fudge batter has thickened to the consistency of melted chocolate/thick caramel and stirring becomes somewhat difficult, pour your fudge immediately into your greased pan.
   
   • As soon as your fudge batter reaches the appropriate consistency, you should transfer it to your baking dish; it will quickly set and become difficult to work with.
3. Allow your fudge batter to cool. Your fudge should be fully set at room temperature after roughly two hours have passed. You can aid in the setting process by allowing your fudge batter to cool and then putting it into your refrigerator until the fudge is firm.
   
4. Portion your fudge for eating. Now that your fudge has set, you can cut it into small or large squares and place it on a serving dish. Your fudge will stay fresh at room temperature for about 7 to 14 days in an air tight container, and should not be refrigerated, as this will negatively impact the fudge's consistency.^[5]
   
   • If you would like to save some of your Russian fudge for a later date, you can freeze your fudge wrapped in wax paper and sealed in an airtight container for several months.^[6]

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

• Pour mixture into the dish as quickly as possible. If not poured quickly, the mixture will begin to set in the pot and make it difficult to pour.
• Always use a metal whisk, as the mixture gets very thick at the whisking stage and plastic whisks may break.
• When adding the butter, condensed milk, salt, and corn/golden syrup to the sugar mixture, do so quickly. If you move too slowly, the mixture can end up too hard or too soft.
• Always use a wooden spoon; it glides through the mixture better.

[Edit]Warnings

• If the mixture exudes a burning smell, remove it from heat immediately. The mixture will still be edible if you handle this issue quickly.
• Never exceed the amount of corn/golden syrup in the recipe, the fudge will turn to inedible/unbreakable toffee.
• If excessive boiling occurs, turn the heat down or remove your mixture from heat. Then continue at a lower heat.
• Don't refrigerate your fudge; it will ruin its consistency.

[Edit]Things You'll Need

• Baking dish (like a bread pan, 8½" x 4½")
• Cutting board
• Cutting knife
• Large stove top pot (or heavy-bottomed saucepan)
• Measuring cups
• Metal whisk
• Thermometer (candy or probe)
• Wooden spoon

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• Make Fudge
• Make Bailey's Truffle Fudge
• Make Microwave Fudge

[Edit]References

1. ↑ http://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml
2. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/cake-fix-stuck-pan_n_2506252.html
3. ↑ http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html#softball
4. ↑ http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/sugar-stages.html#softball
5. ↑ http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/FudgeFreezing.htm
6. ↑ http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/FudgeFreezing.htm