Easy Homemade Chocolate Fudge with Evaporated Milk
An easy recipe for homemade chocolate fudge using evaporated milk. Chocolate and marshmallows are melted into the syrup after boiling - no thermometer required. Rich, smooth, and creamy, and great for shipping as gifts.
Servings: 48 small squares
Calories: 159kcal
Equipment
- sturdy 3-quart pot
- 2 silicone spatulas
- 9x13 inch pan
- parchment paper
- bench scraper (optional, but recommended)
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar (600 grams)
- 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces/354 grams)
- 4 tablespoons butter (56 grams)
- 16 ounces milk chocolate (2 ⅔ cups, chopped) (454 grams)
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate (2 cups, chopped) (340 grams)
- 64 miniature marshmallows (or 16 regular marshmallows; 45 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (5 grams)
- 1 cup nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Butter or line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Set pan aside.
- Combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a heavy 3-quart pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Stir to help the butter melt and the sugar dissolve, and scrape the bottom so that the milk doesn't scorch.
- Prepare your other ingredients if you haven't already. Chop chocolate into small pieces. Cut regular-sized marshmallows into quarters. Gather nuts and vanilla.
- Bring sugar-milk mixture to a full rolling boil. The entire surface will be bubbles. Set aside your stirring spoon and start a timer for 5 minutes. Cooking for less or more time will make the fudge too soft or too chalky or stiff.
- Boil for 5 minutes, with no stirring. The liquid will double in volume and may come close to the top of the pan. If the mixture looks like it will boil over, edge down the heat slightly, just enough to keep it from making a mess.
- After 5 minutes are up, remove the pot from the heat. Immediately add the chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, and nuts (if using).
- Using a clean silicone spatula, mix until the chocolate and marshmallows are completely melted. Without nuts, the mixture will be relatively smooth; if you have lumps of chocolate, smooth them out between the spatula and the side of the pot. Fudge on the spoon will start to crinkle if you take a break from stirring. This whole process takes me about 5 minutes.
- Pour into your prepared pan, trying to get it into all the corners in one go. Smooth it slightly.
- Let cool for at least 2 hours before removing the fudge from the pan. However, the fudge is cut more neatly if it sets for 4.
- Store fudge in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid heat and humidity. If packing to ship, cut fudge into slices and wrap in a layer of parchment paper, followed by a layer of plastic wrap.
- Eat cut fudge within 1-2 weeks. Wrapped fudge will keep about a month.
Notes
Be sure you use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk, which contains sugar.
Use a mix of chocolate. Do not try only milk or only semisweet chocolate; it will not be as good. You'll need 2+ bags if using chocolate chips. Use something you enjoy eating out of hand; a small amount of lower-quality chocolate, such as leftover Halloween candy, can be used. I typically use one 12oz bag of milk chocolate chips; one 12oz bag semisweet chocolate; ⅔ cup or 4oz other chocolate.
Use a separate spatula to stir the chocolate and marshmallows into the syrup. Reusing the stirring spatula can lead to grittiness. When stirring in chocolate and marshmallows, stir constantly as this motion helps the fudge set.
48 pieces of fudge = 9x13 pan cut into a 6x8 grid.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
