Help!!! Trying to make Gayle's fudge. It won't absorb all the butter. Burned out my hand mixer...

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
Stuck it in the KA while I type this. What did I do wrong? I boiled it to 240° on the instant read thermometer and then I let it set for a few minutes to cool just a bit. Then I added the chocolate butter and vanilla as stated and started to stir. Since I have a bad shoulder and hands I used the handmixer. The recipe said this was OK to do. At 10 minutes the handmixer burnt out. So we're looking at about 15 minutes mixing Now but the butter is still not completely Incorporated.

What to do???

http://eat.at/swap/forum1/633_Chocolate_Buttercream_Fudge__posted_on_Gails_last_year

 
Never mind. I ended up giving up on it. Smooshed into pans. Will have to blot butter off..,

After more than 20 minutes you could tell it's just never going to come together. It was also really thick. Not pourable at all as the recipe stated. It seemed it would only get thicker, so I just smashed it into two pans and I am hoping for the best. I hadn't made fudge since I was a kid with my mom this doesn't bode well for doing it again. Need to move on to get everything done and ready to ship by Wednesday. I did make the cashew macadamia nut crunch first so I guess that made me brave enough to take this on mistakenly, LOL.

 
Karen, I had the same experience. Let me provide a flashback:

"During the Holiday Hell of 2004 I became addicted to making Gayle in MO’s chocolate fudge. Gayle is one of those people who have a natural affinity for making candy. I feel certain that if the Hubble camera zoom-lensed into her Missouri kitchen, we would find Gayle at the stove whipping up tins of fudge, standing on one foot with her hand tied behind her back.

But I am here to admit—in public—that unlike the 4,386 other posters who made her fudge recipe, I had no easy time of it. Not the first time, nor the second, nor the third time. The more I failed, the more I was determined to repeat the recipe until I succeeded. It is possible that my glucose level during that period left the realm of integer numbers and sailed right into the Imaginary range. The fourth attempt brought success and cathartic release. I was safe for another year."

~from: ISO: Meeting times for FCMAW

Years later, when making lemon cream in the blender with the warning that the butter couldn't be added until the lemon egg base was below 140 degrees, I had the sudden thought that THAT might be the fudge problem I was having. That my melted chocolate was too hot (or the butter too room temperature) and that's why it didn't emulsify like Gayle's does.

Also, Gayle mentioned making lots of tins of this fudge and maybe her larger mass didn't get as hot as a single batch.

I blotted up the excess butter too which ended up making the fudge a bit crumbly. Folks still loved the taste, but I was disappointed with the texture of mine since I knew it should be silky and I'd screwed up.

 
After the fact but maybe for next time you want to make fudge

I agree with Marilyn- too hot to absorb the butter.

So sorry what happened happened. You were working so hard and fudge should be easier. Here is an idea for next time. DH and I owned an old-fashioned ice cream soda parlor & diner for 10 years. We sold lots and lots of fudge. In order to make it as easy as possible, I made fudge in the microwave. Really easy. We came up with a double-layer fudge but of course you could make just the chocolate or the other layer by itself. So easy. And delicious! Here is the recipe:

FUDGE
makes 8 x 8" pan

for peanut butter layer:
18 oz peanut butter chips
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
dash salt
2 tsp vanilla

for chocolate layer:
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
dash salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Prepare square pan: put layer of Saran Wrap in pan- leave plenty of overlap.

Put peanut butter chips and 1 can condensed milk in bowl. Mix. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir hard until shiny (can use mixer if you like). Add vanilla and salt and stir again. Pour into pan and tamp down on counter to fill corners. Put in refrigerator to set. Put chocolate chips and 1 can condensed milk into bowl. Mix and Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir until shiny and add vanilla and salt. Stir again. Pour over top of peanut butter layer and tamp down on counter. Press peanuts into the top. Refrigerate. Makes 36 squares.

 
Yes, the only thing I thought was it was too hot, but unlike other recipes...

Hers didn't say to let it cool. I saw some that said wait till it was down to 110. But I was worried if I waited, since Gayle's has the chocolate chips, it wouldn't all come together. So I waited a little bit but not long.

The worst part of it all of this is that my hand mixer is dead now and I loved it, so anyone have a new one they can recommend?

 
So sorry! Here is how I do it...

Bring sugar, syrup and milk to CORRECT temp, it is imperative that your thermometer is accurate. (Just made fudge n caramel this weekend...caramel a bit too hard because thermometer is off . New thermometer forthcoming smileys/frown.gif )

Once candy reaches correct temp immediately sit pan off of burner. Immediately add cho chips and room temp butter plus vanilla. Do NOT let cool. Start mixing with mixer, medium speed, all the while moving it around the pan to incorporate. Takes about 1 minute. Add nuts. Pour into tins or pans.

 
I use...

A Cuisinart hand mixer. Have NEVER burned one up. Not sure why you all are having problems. Easiest fudge I have evee made. 1. 2. 3. It's done. Sigh


Apologies for causing fudge stress. Not intentional! smileys/frown.gif

Merry Christmas all! smileys/heart.gif

 
Plus this recipe makes nearly 6 POUNDS of fudge!

Thanks Marsha for alerting me. If anyone has questions I would be happy to answer questons by phone. PM me. smileys/smile.gif

 
Thanks! Used brand new thermoworks; but I did let it cool maybe 3 mins.

The fudge was really stiff I can't imagine trying to stir it by hand. After about 10 to 15 minutes of my handmixer struggling it finally gave up in a whiff of smoke.

After more time in the ka I could see nothing was going to change. I finally ended up just pressing globs of it into the pans and dealing with the butter after the fact by blotting it up with paper towels. No sugar crystals though!

Also, I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips and the fudge tastes like chocolate chips. I don't know if that's supposed to be the case but there you go.

 
I've read a lot about candy making - one of the things I learned is the more you

mix the fudge, the thicker is will become. That probably explains that part of your issue.

I also know that the brand of butter (Water content) and the relative humidity will make a difference in candy-making results. I've had a devil of a time getting english toffee to work - but I keep trying! smileys/smile.gif

 
I am stumped. LOL

But I can tell you that the lady I got the recipe from mixed hers by hand, with a whip. Talk about work! I encountered the unblended butter on one batch, not the first, though. After that I tried using a hand mixer and it was sooo easy! Turns out perfect every time.

I am so sorry you have had problems with it. Expensive ingredients to waste smileys/frown.gif

 
I make it every year also, exactly by the directions, and mine was stiffer also - and

Had a bit of pooled butter here and there. Used Ghiradelli also. I wonder if they changed their chocolate??

 
Cheezz, have used Ghirardelli, Nestles and Hersheys chips...

Was afraid to try Nestles this year as had heard they changed formulas. Was fine. I use any of this combination. Doesnt seem to matter. I stock up, price match at WallyWorld, when they are on sale, since I make so many batches each year. Cannot tell the difference between them. Have never used a store brand, though.

I didn't offer any for sale this year since my husband has has been experiencing health issues. Just made gifts for the 1st time in about 15 years.

Happy Holidays!

 
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