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Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

Read Reviews (312)

"This fudge is easy to make and very delicious. Enjoy this with your loved ones. For best results be sure to use a candy thermometer." — BOOK_WORM

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Original recipe makes 60 squares Change Servings

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions

Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan. Set aside.
Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in a medium saucepan. Stir to blend, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer. Do not stir again.
Place candy thermometer in pan and cook until temperature reaches 238 degrees F(114 degrees C). If you are not using a thermometer, then cook until a drop of this mixture in a cup of cold water forms a soft ball. Feel the ball with your fingers to make sure it is the right consistency. It should flatten when pressed between your fingers.
Remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and vanilla extract. Beat with a wooden spoon until the fudge loses its sheen. Do not under beat.
Pour into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into about 60 squares.

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This is a great recipe but I think that people that aren't familiar with sugar cooking need to know that it is very difficult to make a recipe like this on an electric stove and they need to understand more about sugar crystalization. One sugar crystal in the pot after it is cooked will ruin the candy. I always make sure that I take a wet paper towel and wipe down the sides of the pot after the mixture comes to a boil to remove any undissolved sugar; I never put a spoon into the mixture after it comes to a boil (it might have sugar crystals on it) and I never stir or move the fudge after it is cooked (do not stir the butter and vanilla into it) until it is cooled to at least 115 degrees. Then, and only then, beat like mad until it loses it's gloss and then pour it quickly into your pan. It shouldn't take a long time to reach the desired temperature if the size of the pot is large enough and if it's heavy enough it will not burn. It takes about 10-15 minutes from beginning to end of cooking for me.

—SAILSELAN

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Dec 09, 2006

I have the original Hershey tin can the recipe is on and it is a little different from this one. 2/3 Cup Hershey's Cocoa 3 Cups sugar 1/8 teas. Salt 1 1/2 Cups milk 1/4 Cup Butter (1/2 stick) 1 teaspoon Vanilla And follow her recipe when cooking it. I have made this fudge for many years.

—Jackie

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356 Ratings

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Jan 03, 2008

ATTENTION: fudge making is an art, and it takes time and LOTS of practice. This is hands down the best fudge on Earth. Other people's ratings are lower only because of the work involved, NOT because of the taste. This is almost the exact recipe that has been in my family forever and there is nothing that compares to it. If you are willing to take the time to learn this art... you will be forever glad you did. The chocolate chip recipes are truly awful compared to this! Some Hints: butter sides of sauce pan, and don't stir or knock the pan when it's cooling, your fudge will almost never crystallize and come out much creamier. Heat this recipe slowly on medium heat, it will burn if you heat it too fast. Also, this recipe doesn't make much, but don't try to make two batches at a time unless you've made this several times. Make your second batch seperately, you can use the practice.

—Cindy

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Nov 08, 2006

Best fudge ever…hands down. Every time I make this, people say it's better than in the specialty fudge shops. I use Ghirardelli cocoa and I add a couple dashes of salt to cut the sweetness a bit. I never use a candy thermometer. Depending on the quality, they can be unreliable. I keep a shallow dish of ice water near the pan and test it periodically. I think a lot of people have failed results, because they aren't sure what exactly "soft ball" stage is. When you dribble the chocolate mixture in the water, it should not cloud, and will immediately form a semi-solid mass. Think of it as the consistency of a tootsie roll you've been keeping in your pocket all day. When you squeeze it, it should be soft, but you don't want it to run. Once it's reached this stage, beat the hell out of it with a wooden spoon and Voila! Gourmet fudge. It's worth the sore elbow.

—StephanieM

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Jan 21, 2007

I've made it twice-loved it both times! I used to watch my grandmother make fudge when I was little. I've ruined a few batches on my own. There is nothing wrong with this recipe. You just have to be careful. Fudge can be frustrating to make. Thanks for all of your helpful tips. 1st batch came out just as I remember it. Firm, but not rock hard, and not sugary either. I was concerned, because it was snowing at the time I made it. 2nd batch: Snowing again. And this time I wanted it to be JUST a hair softer than before, so I took it off of the heat sooner. Too soon. It took forever to set. Both times I took it off of the heat and immediately added the butter, mixed it in, and then added the vanilla. The first time it didn't take too long to beat the sheen off of it. The second time it wasn't done, but I'm SO glad I didn't give up and throw it out! I got out my hand mixer and just mixed and mixed it...I'm guessing I mixed it for at least 20 minutes until it lost it's sheen! I kept going because I could tell that as it cooled it was thickening. The second time was much softer, and not as good as the first at all. But still worth the effort. I make mine on an electric flat top stove with a thermometer and the cold water test-no stirring after it comes to a boil. I just wanted to list both of my experiences in case somebody was tempted to throw out your fudge if it didn't seem to be setting.

—Erin

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Dec 09, 2003

This is the same as the old world french fudge recipe that's been in my family for generations. It does take precise timing, strong arms for the beating stage, and even a little practice. But even the failures are delicious, testing the gooey soft-balls is fun in itself, and scraping out the pan is one of my favorite childhood memories. This is a different world of fudge than the marshmallow creme/chocolate chip concoctions so popular now, and has a much more RICH, deep cocoa flavor. Growing up with this fudge, I've never understood the appeal of the 'quick & easy' recipes, as fudge for us was a tradition. I wouldn't recommend doubling the recipe in the same pan, as it's hard to beat as it is.

—DANICASB

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Jan 23, 2004

This recipe was on the Herschey's cocoa can for many years and I made it back in the 50's when I was a young girl. The marshmallow, chocolate chip recipe came out in the early 60's. I like it too, but to me it's not true chocolate fudge.As others have stated, you must leave it to cool to 110 degrees before adding butter and vanilla and then beating.

—KARMAQUENCES2

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Apr 12, 2006

This was DIVINE! Nothing like the marshmallow/chips recipes. I'm not sure if I got the texture right, but mine was slightly soft (comparing this to the marshallow/chips fudge), but melted in my mouth. I calibrated my thermometer (way off! like 10-15 degrees), set it on low/med-low the entire time and it took approx. 20-25 or so min. to reach the softball/slightly firm ball stage (I was afraid it would be gooey). I let it cool for about 1-2 minutes, then stirred in vanilla/butter (cut into cubes). Beat it mercilessly until it lost its sheen (3-5 minutes...), then threw in walnuts and beat it a little more. Turned out excellent.. hope this helps some first-time real fudge makers like me! Thanks!! ***Forgot to add that it's a good idea to double the recipe or use a smaller dish, if you'd like your fudge to turn out like the picture.***

—Jules

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Nutrition

Calories
36 kcal
2%

Carbohydrates
7.3 g
2%

Cholesterol
2 mg
< 1%

Fat
0.9 g
1%

Fiber
0.2 g
< 1%

Protein
0.3 g
< 1%

Sodium
7 mg
< 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

Serving Size: 1/60 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 60
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 36
Calories from Fat: 9

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.9g 1 %
Saturated Fat 0.6g 3 %
Cholesterol 2mg < 1 %
Sodium 7mg < 1 %
Potassium 17mg < 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 7.3g 2 %
Dietary Fiber 0.2g < 1 %
Protein 0.3g < 1 %
Sugars 6.9g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium < 1 %
Iron 1 %
Thiamin < 1 %
Niacin < 1 %
Vitamin B6 < 1 %
Magnesium 1 %
Folate < 1 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.