I made fudge last night and it came out grainy. My mom told me about your site today and I read about the cream of tartar. My question is this, I have not thrown it out and I am wondering if I can still fix it? It is in a 13X9 inch pan and is cold. Can I reheat it and add the tartar? I made a double batch and it is a lot of ingredients. I would like to salvage it if I still can. Help!
By Marsha L. from Asheville, NC
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Pretty sure you can't fix it. Also know that certain candies (fudge, divinity) can be affected by the weather of all things. My mother doesn't make it if it humid (rain coming or raining) for example.
I made the fudge on the back of the marshmallow cream called fantasy fudge. It turned out grainy ( I have made this for years and it never has done this but I used sugar that was not labeled cane sugar and think that was the problem) anyway... I recooked mine and added1/2 cup water.
I had very grainy chocolate (Hershey's recipe) fudge. We had to go to dinner, and by the time we got back and opened our gifts, it was VERY hard, but still grainy. I added a little more than the 1/4 cup of water recommended and made the water very hot. I scraped and stirred until most of the bigger lumps were incorporated. I then poured it into a different pan that I had buttered on the bottom and all the way up the sides and cooked it till it became a soft ball when dropped in cold water.
What if you "crumbled" the fudge, added some softened cream cheese, and then formed the mixture into balls? You could then dip them into melted chocolate and roll in candy sprinkles. Worth a try, if you don't want to discard the whole batch!
HAHA!!! This is exactly what I did today! LOL
I seriously doubt you can un-do the fudge. I have always used the recipe from Hershey's cocoa, and never heard of putting cream of tartar in fudge. And if you buttered or sprayed the pan you used, that would definitely effect your attempt to "fix it." I don't know the recipe you used, but granulated sugar can make it grainy if not thoroughly cooked.
Good luck! You should be proud of your attempt, that's how we learn.
Don't doubt the use of cream of tartar, Marsha! It's used to inhibit sugar crystallization and it's used in many assorted candy recipes including fudge!
When I was taking Food Preparation classes in college, we made fudge, and if it turned out grainy or didn't set up, we re-cooked it. The reason that it turns out grainy is that there was a rogue sugar crystal in it.
Fudge is what is called a super saturated solution, and one little grain or crystal of sugar or even a bit of dust can cause the sugar to come out of solution and begin to crystallize. We learned to put the fudge back into the pan, re-cook it and during that time to put a lid on the kettle for a minute or so. That washes the sugar crystals off of the side of the pan.
Also, don't use the same utensil to stir the fudge before it cooks and then again after it has reached temperature. You could have sugar crystals on that spoon, and crystallization could happen.
This may be a stupid question but I wonder if confection sugar could be used instead of granulated?
Just so you know, Some of us like grainy fudge. LOL GG Vi
I know, me too! My coworker made this amazing tasting semi-grainy fudge that I loved. I have been purposely trying to screw up my fudge to get it to acquire a grainy texture, but no luck so far! It keeps coming out smooth and of an in-between consistency (not hard/not too soft).
Yes, I happen to prefer a slightly grainy or gritty texture in peanut butter fudge. : ) D. Wynne
I make a Dk chocolate fudge...micro wave
1 pk of dr chocolate morsels (2 cups)
1 cup of semi sweet morsels
1 can of eagle condensed milk (7/8) of can
4 tbs of butter
Microwave for two minutes
stir in walnuts and one tsp vanilla one tsp salt
Stir and put in to a greased pan.....looks gritty?
How do I keep it from getting gritty?
When I do semi sweet fudge it is never gritty?
It always tastes good........
Help?
I adore sugary fudge and cannot for the life of me, make it grainy on purpose. I have read all the good ways to keep it from happening and now I know what TO DO to make it that way!! Have tried for ages and it would never happen...now I think I have a chance to make it wrong, the right way!! Thank you so much for the help....can't wait to try it. LOL
I hope you tried it. If it was lost anyway...wish you'd let us know.
If it tastes good don't just through it away because, in my humble opinion, who really cares if the texture of fudge is a bit off as long as it's yummy. I would be happy to take it off your hands ;-)
I found this link with information that might be helpful for you. I don't think you should try adding the tartar with it though being that it will be a second cooking. Please let us know if this woman's advice works:
candy.about.com/
PS - Maybe I am incorrect or crazy, because I don't know much about proper fudge cooking, but personally I would try it with only half the batch first just in case it doesn't work. At least you would still have the rest of the batch ;-)
Well Bless your heart, Teachpad! Now we know grainy fudge is indeed fixable and you've given great information as to what, where, why and how! You really should submit contest tips and recipes to share with us because you would do really well with all the knowledge you have! I just looked up all the information you've shared with your feedback here at ThriftyFun and even with as much cooking knowledge as I have I learned quite a bit with what you've written!
Marsha, pretty please let us know what you ended up doing with your fudge, okay?
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