Chocolate, milk, sugar fudge. How to make fudge at home

The final step in the preparation of delicious desserts is the preparation of fudge sugar. Without it, many sweet pastry dishes will not seem as appetizing as they really are.

It is for this reason that I decided in this article to pay attention to the question of how to make fudge at home. True, before telling how to cook fudge, I would like to clarify one thing.

Some professional confectioners and culinary experts believe that fudge and icing are completely different products. The thing is that the glaze has less plasticity.

Fondant takes longer to harden than frosting. Only if you compare these confectionery additives, you should still agree that they are involved in the same group.

This is due to the fact that both fudge and glaze are used for the same purposes. To be more precise, they are designed to decorate cupcakes, interesting pastries, gingerbread and cakes.

In fact, you can list the varieties of desserts for a very long time.

About fudge

Fudge should be called boiled sugar-based syrup. This is what the basic version of fondant looks like.

It's not hard to make it at home. You just need to boil the syrup from sugar and water, let it cool using ice, and then beat it with a mixer.

As you can see, the recipe is really not complicated. Even a novice cook can handle this task.

If the goal is to prepare a fondant mass, it is worth observing exactly the entire algorithm of actions.

Sugar and water are converted very simply. This principle lies in the fact that high-density sugar syrups are prone to sugaring.

Those. small sugar crystals appear in their mass. They are soft and able to give the fondant a special texture.

To make the crystals small, you need to introduce citric acid into the syrup, thanks to which the growth of crystals will be reduced.

The proportion of 30% water to total sugar is ideal for making fudge.

In fact, there are an incredible amount of variations on how to prepare a fondant mass. The recipe may include milk.

Depending on the inclusion in the composition of this product, 3 groups are distinguished: milk, sugar and cream fondant, as well as creme brulee.

The latter has a large number of heat treatments. During cooking, other auxiliary components are also introduced into the composition of the fudge. It can be fruits and berries.

Such options are commonly called fruit fudge. Chopped nuts, cocoa powder and other products are also added to it.

Thanks to them, such a wide variety of additives in the confectionery product appears.

It is better to start learning how to cook fudge with the basic version. I presented the recipe for classic fudge to your attention a little below. See for yourself and don't be afraid to cook it yourself!

The classic version of making fudge for dessert

Components: 150 ml of water; ice; 500 gr. Sahara; 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Cooking algorithm:

Add sugar to a saucepan and add water. I turn on the medium heat on the stove and stir to boil the sugar until completely dissolved.
When the mass boils, turn off the stove and remove the foam. Skim the sugar off the surface of the pan. I advise you to do this with a brush dipped in water
. It is worth removing the crystals immediately so that later they do not violate the homogeneous composition of the fondant. Turn on the fire and cook the fondant mass for a minute
I do not interfere with the mass.
I add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and boil the syrup for a minute.
When the time is up, you need to take 1/3 tsp. syrup, dip in cold water, remove with your fingers, roll into a ball, it should turn out soft and plastic.
Having achieved this, it is worth removing the fondant from the fire.
I pour the syrup into a bowl with wide sides. I put ice on top, let the mass cool down so that it becomes 40 degrees. You will have to spend 20 minutes on this. 5
With a spoon, and then with a mixer I beat a lot of fudge. In general, this will take another 15 minutes. The sugar mass will gradually become thick and white. Readiness is checked by appearance: the sugar mass is plastic, thick and does not stick.
It is better to leave the fudge aside for a day, put it in a plastic container and cover with a damp cloth, and then with a lid. Then you need to put it in the refrigerator until it cools completely. 7 Use it in the amount that is necessary.
To do this, use a water bath to heat the mass. To give the mixture brightness, you can add beetroot juice or cocoa to the composition. Experiment, giving freshness and appetizing delicious pastries.

In fact, only at first glance it may seem that cooking fudge is a very complicated matter. Try your hand at cooking other types of fudge, the recipes are presented below.

Creamy fondant

Ingredients: 100 ml cream (fatty); 1 st. Sahara; 40 gr. sl. oils and vanilla.

Cooking algorithm:

I pour the cream into a saucepan, put sugar and sl. butter.
I turn on a small fire and bring the mass to a boil. You need to constantly stir it so that the mixture does not burn.
I boil the mass so that it becomes creamy in color, put a drop of fudge into the water, if it turns into a plastic ball, you can remove the mass from the fire. Sugar candy is ready to use.

This recipe is also interesting in that this type of fudge can be used not only as a decor for confectionery pastries, but also as an independent dessert.

Just pour the mass into molds. Serve at the table, your loved ones will be delighted with treats for tea.

Protein fudge

Components: 2 pcs. chickens. egg whites; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 300 gr. powdered sugar.

Cooking algorithm:

Be sure to refrigerate egg whites ahead of time. I beat them together with salt. It is necessary to ensure that the mass becomes 3-47 times larger.
I continue to beat, I introduce the indicated amount of powdered sugar, and then lemon juice. If powdered sugar is not at home, you can use plain sugar.
I make fondant strong and as lush as possible. Fondant must be diluted with jam, syrup, food. dye. Only then use it for its intended purpose.

In fact, I want to clarify that this protein version of fondant does not apply to technical fondants.

This is due to the fact that there is no option for using heat treatment. It just turns out that we use whipped cream.

Despite this discrepancy, a similar option is also used in confectionery, and the product is called fudge.

chocolate fondant

Components: 200 gr. sweet classic; 250 gr. dark chocolate bars.

Cooking algorithm:

Grind chocolate with a water bath. I also warm up the finished classic fondant mass.
I mix the masses together. I beat to get a homogeneous composition. Also, the mass should shine.
I apply with a wide spatula or spatula a mass for dessert. Be sure to do this very carefully so that the dessert is beautiful and shiny.

This fondant recipe is usually used to decorate cakes: "Prague", "Slavutich", "Bird's milk".

fruit fudge

The cooking algorithm is very simple. You need to use food. dyes and fruit essences that you personally like.

You can complicate your task and make fudge based on natural fruit syrup (molasses). Fruit juices contain acid that should not be present at the beginning of fudge cooking.

It is for this reason that juices for making fruit fondant mass are leached in production, and then acid must be added to make the mass boil down.

It is important to avoid the appearance of sugar crystals. Only, if you look, this method of cooking is not cost-effective, if we consider the situation with the production base.

When it comes to cooking at home, I advise you to ignore the standard requirements and add to the sahs. uvar concentrated fruit and berry syrup, even though there will be acid.

To enhance the aroma, you need to take fruit essences, tinctures and use food. dyes.

Ingredients: water, invert syrup, sugar, essence and food. dye.

Cooking algorithm:

I cook fudge, as well as in the classic recipe. Add sugar to a saucepan and add water. I turn on the medium fire on the stove and interfere, I start cooking.
When the mass boils, it is worth turning off the fire and collecting the foam. I take sugar. I remove the crystals immediately so that later they do not violate the homogeneous composition.
I turn on the fire and cook the fondant mass for 5 minutes. I do not interfere with the mass.
I add 1 tbsp. juice and boil the syrup for a minute. The mass will gradually become thick.
Readiness is checked by appearance: the mass is plastic, thick and does not stick. I add food. dyes and essences.

It is very important to do everything right and not to digest the fondant mass. In the event that the ball turns out to be hard and devoid of elastic characteristics, it means that the fondant mass has been digested.
Thanks to the process of uniform cooling, the conditions for the correct crystallization of the syrup will be met. If ice is not available, replace it with cold water. Just be careful so that it does not get on the mass of fondant.
It is better to mix the cooled fondant mass with a spatula or a spoon, only then use a mixer. As soon as the mass has become similar in composition to sour cream or has acquired a cream color, you need to stop.
You can change the colors of fudge with coffee, jam, syrups and preserves.
It is better to store the fondant mass in the refrigerator, wrapping it with a film so that the mass does not dry out.

I advise you to try making fondant at home to make sure that you don’t have to be a real pastry chef to be successful in this business!

Good luck to all my dear readers!

My video recipe

In fact, fudge is a syrup of granulated sugar, water and lemon juice, which is boiled down to 115 degrees, then quickly cooled and whipped until white with a spatula or mixer. As a result, a homogeneous mass of white color is obtained, consisting of the smallest sugar crystals, which make the texture of sugar fudge supple, soft and uniform.

Making sugar fudge at home is not too difficult. The main thing is to strictly follow all the recommendations given: observe the proportions (the ratio of water and sugar is 1: 3), boil the syrup to the desired temperature, add lemon juice in time, cool quickly. In total, you will get approximately 550 g of fudge. This amount is enough to glaze 20 rum baba or decorate 3 large cupcakes. The finished fudge can be stored for 2-3 months in the refrigerator, so there is a reason to cook a large portion at once and spend it as needed.

Total cooking time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 550 g

Ingredients

sugar - 500 g
water - 160 ml
lemon juice - 1 tsp

How to make sugar fudge

Pour granulated sugar into a saucepan or saucepan with a thick bottom, cover with cold water and put on the stove, setting medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar grains are completely dissolved.

Remove the foam and wash off the smallest sugar crystals from the walls of the saucepan with a brush.

Simmer for 4 minutes without stirring, then add freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Continue to boil without stirring (!) until the temperature of the syrup reaches 115-117 degrees Celsius. Approximately it can take 2-5 minutes, it all depends on the intensity of the boil, the width of the pan and other factors.

If you don't have a thermometer, do a soft ball test. To test, drop a little syrup into a bowl of ice water and use your fingers to roll it into a ball. If the resulting ball is soft to the touch, then the syrup has reached the required temperature. If it is difficult to roll it up, then continue to cook further.

Now the syrup needs to be cooled as quickly and evenly as possible. To do this, place the saucepan in a deep bowl of cold water and ice. Slightly rock the pan from side to side to mix the syrup evenly. After about 10 minutes, it will cool down to the required 40 degrees (it feels like pleasant warmth to the touch).

Now the syrup needs to be whipped. Stir it with a silicone spatula for about 10 minutes until it turns white and thickens. You can use a mixer with a hook attachment for this purpose, but it’s more convenient to do the procedure manually, so you won’t over-beat the fudge and definitely won’t spoil it.

The finished fudge should be soft, white, not sticky to your hands. It will be thick, but at the same time plastic. Remember it with your hands, collect it into a ball and place it in a container.

Tighten the bowl with cling film and leave it in this form for a day somewhere on the table at room temperature - the fondant needs to stand to complete the micro-crystallization process. Then it needs to be kneaded again, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator for storage.

How to use fondant to cover desserts?

Scoop a serving of fondant out of the container (3-4 scoops are usually enough).
Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or boiled cold water, stir and heat in a water bath until it melts. But do not overheat higher than 55 degrees! Otherwise, the fondant will crumble and will not be glossy, but matte. Add more water, if necessary, until the fondant reaches the consistency of liquid sour cream and drips off the spoon like a ribbon.
Cover the confectionery with hot glaze - work very quickly, as it sets instantly, in just 7-10 seconds! If the fondant froze faster than you had time to apply it, then warm it up again in a water bath. You can heat the fudge in the microwave, pulsed, for 5-10 seconds, each time stirring vigorously with a spoon.

Ingredients for making simple sugar fudge: granulated sugar 8 tablespoons, water 6 tablespoons.

How to make simple sugar fudge. Pour sugar into a saucepan, pour hot water, mix, put on the stove and cook without stirring. As soon as the syrup begins to boil, remove the foam formed on the surface with a spoon, cover tightly with a lid and boil the syrup until the “soft ball” test, that is, periodically take boiling syrup from the pan with a teaspoon and dip it into cold water, and after 1 minute with your hand from a teaspoon spoons collect the contents into a soft ball.

If the ball does not work out, then the syrup should boil a little more. Before the end of cooking, citric acid is added to it, at the rate of 5 drops for every 100 g of sugar taken, or half a teaspoon of vinegar.

After boiling, sprinkle the surface of the syrup with cold water and cool it as quickly as possible. To do this, the pan with syrup must be placed in cold water or on ice. Chilled syrup is whipped with a wooden spatula for about 10-15 minutes until it turns white and curls into a solid mass, which is called fudge.

The fondant can withstand long-term storage, so it can be harvested for future use. For long-term storage, fudge is covered with damp gauze, and then the pan is tightly covered with a lid.

As needed, take the right amount of fudge, heat it up, stirring with a spatula, and use it to glaze products. Fondant is heated to a not very hot state.

Powdered sugar fudge

Ingredients for Making Powdered Sugar Fudge: powdered sugar 2 faceted glasses, water 3 tablespoons.

How to make icing sugar fudge. Pour powdered sugar into a saucepan, pour warm boiled water.

Mix well until a homogeneous, thick white mass is obtained. Then, as needed, the required amount is heated, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, to a hot state, but in no case to a boil. If the fondant is thin, you need to add powder, if it is very thick, a little water.

Powdered sugar fudge at home is much easier to make than sugar, and glazed products are no different.

Just like, fudge can be flavored: add 1 tablespoon of apricot tincture or apricot liqueur or 1 tablespoon of apricot jam syrup, etc. to it.

According to the additives, the fudge will be called apricot, orange, dogwood, coffee, raspberry, lemon, mountain ash, apple, rum.

To get chocolate fondant, add 2 teaspoons of sifted cocoa powder or a bar (100 g) of chocolate, which must be cut into chips and added to the fondant during heating.

The cake should not only be deliciously delicious, but also visually very beautiful! And fudge will help us with this, which will make the delicacy more appetizing and seductive. Let's take a look at a few fondant cake recipes with you.

Chocolate fudge cake

Ingredients:

milk chocolate - 100 g;
egg - 1 pc.;
- 50 g;
fine powdered sugar - 150 g.

Cooking

Before making the fondant for the cake, melt all the chocolate in the microwave. Put the butter in a bowl, put on a weak fire and bring to a liquid state. Then carefully add the chocolate mixture, mix and remove from the stove. Cool the mass to room temperature, and then carefully break the chicken egg and beat the composition with a whisk. Next, gradually pour in the powdered sugar and mix until a homogeneous and shiny consistency is obtained. After that, cover the confectionery with chocolate fondant and leave to harden for half an hour.

White fondant cake

Ingredients:

fine sugar - 2 tbsp.;
filtered water - 0.5 tbsp.;
(citric acid) - 1 teaspoon.

Cooking

Pour sugar into a saucepan, pour warm water, mix and put the dishes on a small fire. Boil the mass, stirring constantly, until all the crystals are completely dissolved. After boiling the syrup, a white foam will appear on its surface. We carefully remove it with a tablespoon and cover the pan with a lid, continuing to cook the mixture until the “soft ball” test. To check this, from time to time we take a little syrup from the pan with a teaspoon and lower it into a container of ice water. After a few minutes, we try to roll the contents into a ball. At the very end of cooking, add a spoonful of lemon juice or throw a pinch of citric acid. We use ready-made white fudge prepared at home to decorate the cake.

Creamy fondant for cake

Ingredients:

Cooking

Pour the cream into a bowl, add the butter and throw in the sugar. We put the dishes on a small fire and, stirring, bring to a boil. Then we throw in vanillin to taste and boil the mixture until it acquires a pleasant creamy shade. We check the readiness of the fudge as follows: put a drop of the mixture into a saucepan with cold water and if you can make a ball out of it, then it’s ready! Remove from heat, cool and use to decorate the cake.