If you haven’t been able to justify your craving for fudge, today’s the day you can! June 16 is National Fudge Day, and local chefs are sharing their tips and tricks to making fudge as well as sharing what their favorite types of fudge are. Whether you prefer a classic chocolate fudge or splurge on oreo or peanut butter variety, today’s the day to go all out.
Add Some Coffee
“A tip to really rich-tasting chocolate fudge is to add a tiny bit of instant coffee to your chocolate when you are melting it, and it will elevate the flavor. Follow your favorite recipe and be careful not to overheat the chocolate.”
— Sumer Searcy, Fort Worth Fudge & Toffee Co.
Small Batches
“Fudge is not too difficult to make, but it does require precision. For the best results, you will want to make it in small batches using a copper kettle and watching your temperatures come to precise levels. Don’t get in a hurry, and enjoy the process!”
— Jennifer Dean, Chocolate Hangover
Hand-paddle It To Perfection
“At Kilwins, we cook our fudge in our copper kettle, pour it on our marble table and hand-paddle it to perfection! After the fudge has cooled we cut the loaf into 1/2 lb slices.”
— Pamela Beezley, Kilwins Grapevine
Be Grateful For A Thermometer
“Most of my fudge recipes come from my mother and the cookbooks of my youth. Back then we didn't have a candy thermometer, so you would drip a tiny bit of the cooking sugar mixture into a bowl of water to determine the stage of cooking. I really appreciate having a thermometer today!”
— Sue Williams, Dr. Sue’s Chocolate
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Creative
“Fudge is fabulous any time of year. Get creative with it! Right this minute, our favorite flavors are Vanilla Cream Lemon Cake, Woopie Pie and Texas Sheet Cake!”
— Sumer Searcy, Fort Worth Fudge & Toffee Co.
Classic Flavors Never Go Out Of Style
“My husband and co-owner J's favorite is our Sea Salt Caramel. This is also our best seller. We make the caramel in the store also. My favorite is the Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk, which is a great summertime flavor!”
— Pamela Beezley, Kilwins Grapevine
The Key is Caramel
“To avoid a grainy texture, I feel the keys to making fudge are similar to the keys to making good caramel. It's sugar work, not so much chocolate work.”
— Sue Williams, Dr. Sue’s Chocolate