Easy Chocolate Fudge

Recipe from Michael Chu

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated Dec. 4, 2020

Easy Chocolate Fudge
Jim Wilson for The New York Times
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(1,152)
Comments
Read comments

“All candy-making is about preventing crystallization,” said Michael Chu, an engineer based in Austin, Tex., who writes about his kitchen experiments online at Cooking for Engineers. Mr. Chu’s chocolate fudge recipe, of which this is an adaptation, has the pleasantly cakey, almost sandy texture desirable in fudge, which can be tricky to achieve using milk and butter. He uses condensed milk to reduce the ingredients in the fudge to a mere three (salt is optional), and to eliminate the dreaded step of cooking the sugar syrup to the soft-ball stage. “The manufacturing process has already done that work for you,” he said. —Julia Moskin

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Ingredients

Yield:16 two-inch squares
  • 4tablespoons (½ stick) butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
  • 1pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
  • 1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅛teaspoon salt (optional)
  • ½cup chopped nuts (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)

266 calories; 16 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 53 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line with parchment or wax paper, letting edges of paper hang over sides of pan.

  2. Step 2

    In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over (not resting in) simmering water, combine all ingredients except nuts. Mix just until melted and well combined. (Alternatively, use a microwave on low power to melt ingredients, stopping every 10 to 20 seconds to mix well.) The mixture should be heated as little as possible. Mix in nuts, if using.

  3. Step 3

    Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or overnight. Lift fudge on paper out of pan and use a large knife to cut into squares.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,152 user ratings
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Comments

Tsarina

People, this is the classic Eagle Brand Condensed Milk Magic Fudge recipe right off the can, although calling for semi sweet chocolate bits. I remember my mother making it when I was a grade schooler, and I'm 82, so you see it's a venerable recipe, and it's delicious. Frankly, I still regard it as defining fudge. A little respect, please, for an oldie but extremely goodie.

Kay

Have been making this for years, but with the addition of a teaspoon of vanilla. Sometimes I add some grated orange rind for something a little different.

mj

for fans of fudge this bears as much resemblance as a chips ahoy cookie bears to home baked. If you're just looking for something appallingly sweet with a hint of chocolate this is for you.

Otherwise I'd steer clear because this is only fudge in the mind of someone who grew up in the last 30 years.

Cindy

I made a double batch and it turned out great. I was concerned that it might get heated too much but it was fine. I was careful to stop cooking as soon as things seemed melted and mixed. It set up in about half an hour in the refrigerator. Also, it freezes very well and it only takes about half an hour out of the freezer for it to warm up enough for the texture to be right for serving. (You can eat it straight from the freezer but the texture is a bit too crumbly to be pleasant although, of course, YMMV.) I cut mine into serving pieces before freezing. I used Callebaut chocolate (1/3 bittersweet, 2/3 semi-sweet), mostly in really big chunks and I added the optional walnuts and salt. I think the walnuts are best toasted very lightly and only lightly chopped, leaving some pretty big pieces. I think I’ll increase the walnuts by about half again (so 3/4 cup for a single batch) next time.

Lauren J.

10/10 first time making fudge. Totally delicious.

cindy

Why doe we butter the pan and then put parchment or wax paper on top of that?

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Credits

Adapted from Michael Chu, Cooking for Engineers

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