Easy Fudge Recipe Without Condensed Milk
on Feb 03, 2022
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This simple fudge recipe is made without condensed milk. It’s sweet, creamy, chocolatey, and super easy to make.
Fudge is a delicious candy made from sugar, butter, and milk. Chocolate is probably the most popular flavor. There are many ways to get creative with fudge by adding different ingredients and flavors like nuts, coconut, fruits, salted caramel, and chopped candy.
The great thing about fudge is it doesn’t take long to prepare. And because you can personalize it by adding different flavor profiles, it’s a great idea for a stocking stuffer, a hostess basket, or even a pot-luck!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chocolate Chips
- Butter
- White Granulated Sugar
- Full-fat Evaporated Milk
- Marshmallow cream, or Marshmallow Fluff
- Vanilla Extract
How to Make Fudge without Condensed Milk
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and spread to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Pour sugar into the center of the pan, and avoid getting it onto the sides as you stir. Add evaporated milk and keep stirring.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes. Ensure the candy thermometer is reading about 234°F.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring until they are all melted.
- Mix in the marshmallow cream and vanilla well, and pour the mixture into a square pan lined with parchment paper.
- Leave the mixture to cool a room temperature before cutting up into squares and serving!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Fudge without Condensed Milk
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best results: To ensure that your fudge turns out rich and creamy, take the time to use the best ingredients you can find.
- Use marshmallow cream, not marshmallows: If you’re not familiar with marshmallow cream (sometimes called marshmallow fluff), it’s sold in a tub and can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store. You cannot replace marshmallow cream with regular marshmallows.
- Line your pan with parchment paper to avoid sticking: Using parchment paper will keep your fudge from sticking and makes it much easier to cut into pieces and remove from the pan.
- Make sure not to get any sugar crystals onto the side of your pan: When you add the butter to the saucepan, coat the sides of the pan as well. This will prevent any sugar crystals from sticking (and possibly burning).
Does Fudge Need Evaporated Milk or Condensed Milk?
Fudge can be made with either evaporated milk or condensed milk, although for many, that’s a topic that’s still up for debate. It’s important to know that these two products are quite different. Evaporated milk is fresh unsweetened milk that has been heated until about 60% of the liquid has evaporated. It’s a popular ingredient in baked goods, custards and soups. Condensed milk is a thick concentrated milk that is sweetened.
Can I Use Milk Instead of Evaporated Milk in Fudge?
The simple answer is yes, but you’d have to spend quite a bit of extra time in the kitchen making your own evaporated milk. To do this, you’d have to add about 60% more milk than is required in your recipe to a saucepan. Then, bring the milk to a boil and gently reduce until you have the amount you need. So, if your recipe calls for a cup of evaporated milk, pour the reduced milk into a measuring cup to see how much you have. Once you have the amount you need, the milk would have to cool before adding it to your recipe.
Variations
- Caramel Fudge without Condensed Milk: If you adore the flavor of salted caramel, remove the chocolate chips and vanilla extract, increase the amount of sugar to 3 cups, and add 2 teaspoons of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
- Coconut Fudge without Condensed Milk: Add a nice chewy texture to fudge by including coconut! Add 2 cups of grated coconut to the fudge mixture, and ¼ cup to sprinkle on top.
- White Chocolate Fudge: Use white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a slightly different but equally delicious flavor!
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Best Fudge Recipe without Condensed Milk Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup full-fat evaporated milk
- 7 oz marshmallow cream, or marshmallow fluff
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 8X8 inch square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, spread the butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Slowly pour sugar into the center of the pan, and avoid getting sugar onto the side of your saucepan.
- Add evaporated milk, stirring constantly.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches about 234°F.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate chips.
- Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Add marshmallow cream and vanilla to the mixture. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let it cool to room temperature.
- Remove the settled fudge from the pan, and cut into smaller pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not refrigerate the fudge. You can store it in an air-tight container at room temperature
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.