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Super Easy Chocolate Fudge that’s quick to make, requires only 5 ingredients and tastes incredibly sweet and delicious! No fancy tools needed, only 10 minutes to make and prep, let it set and enjoy!
Chocolate Fudge
Did you know that fudge is incredibly easy to make right at home? In about 10 minutes with no fancy tools needed you can prepare the ingredients, make the fudge, spread it in a pan then all you have to do is wait a couple hours for it to set and then you can enjoy delicious homemade fudge.
Seriously – SO EASY! You will be enjoying the best chocolate fudge before you know it! Dense, rich, chocolatey, decadently delicious! What are you waiting for?
What Is Fudge?
If you’ve never had fudge before, you’re in for a treat! Traditional fudge is a soft candy made from sugar, milk or cream, butter and flavorings. Candy-making though, can be quite tricky and because of that, I have a super quick and easy recipe for you! This fudge recipe is no fail, no special equipment needed such as a candy thermometer, yet you still end up with a delicious and mouthwatering fudge.
This recipe is for a “quick fudge” that can literally be made in minutes, either in the microwave or on the stove-top. Because this fudge is not a traditional fudge made with sugar, you do no need to worry about it having a grainy texture.
Ingredients You Need To Make Chocolate Fudge
You only need 5 ingredients to make this fudge recipe and one of them is optional. Scroll down for the complete printable recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – or bittersweet chocolate chips, it all depends on how sweet you want your fudge. Keep in mind that the sweetened condensed milk is quite sweet.
- Sweetened condensed milk – the other main ingredient in fudge.
- Vanilla extract – I love adding a little bit of vanilla extract to my fudge because like salt, it enhances all the other flavors in the recipe.
- Salt – a little bit goes a long way.
- Nuts – while I used pistachios, try using walnuts or pecans or skip the nuts entirely.
Can I Use Evaporated Milk For Fudge Instead Of Sweetened Condensed Milk?
No, absolutely not! Do not interchange sweetened condensed milk with evaporated milk which is thinner and has no sugar added. While some fudge recipes do use evaporated milk, it will not work in this recipe.
Since these two types of milk are almost always on the grocery store shelf right next to each other, make sure to choose the correct one.
How to Make Chocolate Fudge
Making fudge is super easy! Start by lining an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overlap on the sides, so you can easily pull out the fudge.
Add the chocolate chips and condensed milk to a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over the lowest heat possible, stirring until smooth. It should only take a couple minutes. Remove from heat.
Once all is melted together, add the vanilla extract, salt and nuts and combine everything. You’ll notice that the fudge will start to harden quickly.
Spread evenly into the prepared pan. If you really love sweet and salty, add some flaked salt over the top, trust me it’s so good. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from the pan and cut into small square pieces. Feel free to cut them as small as you want. For the pictures I cut them into 16 pieces, but usually you can cut them into smaller 1 inch pieces, especially if you want bite size fudge.
How To Make This Chocolate Fudge In The Microwave
Start by lining an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overlap on the sides, so you can easily pull out the fudge.
Add the chocolate chips and condensed milk in a large microwave safe bowl, stir together then heat at 70% power for 90 seconds.
Let the bowl rest in the microwave for 3 minutes before stirring. This allows the heat in the bowl to help melt the chocolate evenly.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients, then pour the fudge into the lined pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from the pan and cut into small square pieces.
Can I Use a Different Type of Chocolate?
Yes, you can use semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate for this recipe. It all depends on how sweet you like it to be. Keep in mind that there’s plenty of sweetness added from the condensed milk.
If you want to use milk chocolate, the ratio of chocolate to condensed milk is different, you’ll need 3 cups of milk chocolate chips to 14 oz of sweetened condensed milk.
It’s very important to use chocolate that you like to eat. Don’t buy the bland or bad tasting chocolate, because then your fudge is also going to be bland. Use your favorite kind. I find that semi-sweet dark chocolate with 45%-60% cocoa content makes the best tasting chocolate fudge. However, if you’re looking for a more robust flavored chocolate go for the bittersweet chocolate with 70%-90% cocoa content.
How to Store Chocolate Fudge?
You can store fudge in the fridge for up to 1 month. Cut into squares, wrap in tissue and put in a box, or in cellophane bags. Unless you’re gifting them, I just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Don’t leave them on the counter for too long because the chocolate will start to melt.
Some Tips For Making Fudge
Here are some tips to help you make the best fudge possible:
- Do not skimp on the chocolate. If not using enough chocolate chips, your fudge can be too soft and not harden enough. The ratio of chocolate to condensed milk needs to be just right, otherwise you might end up with fudge that is too soft or too hard.
- Do not freeze the fudge to set it. Best way is to just be patient for a couple hours and set it in the fridge. If your fudge hasn’t set, then you’ve gone wrong somewhere else.
- Make sure to use the parchment paper to line your pan otherwise it might be quite tricky to remove the fudge.
- Use the right size pan. This really depends on how thick you want your fudge to be. If you’re looking for thicker fudge, use a 6×6-inch pan, otherwise 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pans work great.
- If you don’t have any foil or paper to line your pan, use a non-stick pan for easier removal.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Fudge?
Yes, you can totally freeze fudge. I do it all the time. First, wrap the fudge in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and lastly place them in a freezer bag. Make sure to press out all the air from the bag before sealing, then place it in the freezer for another time.
Frozen fudge will last several months. When you’re ready to enjoy, take the wrapped fudge from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for a couple hours then it’s ready to be devoured.
Craving More Deliciousness? Try These Recipes:
- Classic Pancakes
- No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
Easy Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
- 2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk 1 can
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pistachios chopped, or walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Line an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overlap on the sides, so you can easily pull out the fudge.
- Add the chocolate chips and condensed milk to a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over the lowest heat possible, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, salt and nuts of your choice, if using.
- Spread evenly into the prepared baking pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from the pan and cut into squares.
