Delicious fudge always goes down a treat at home or as a thoughtful gift. It’s a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth sweet with a moreish chocolate flavour. Here’s how you can make old-fashioned chocolate fudge with just six ingredients, including our Kenyan-grown Mara Sugar.
Step 1
Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a saucepan, whisk together the Mara sugar and cocoa powder. Add heavy cream and light corn syrup, then stir until well combined.
Step 3
Heat the mixture over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Keep stirring until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the mixture reaches 110℃. Avoid stirring as it simmers to allow the sugar to thicken. This is the soft ball stage.
Step 4
Remove it from the heat and let it cool undisturbed to 40℃, about 50-70 minutes. Add unsalted butter and vanilla extract, stirring briskly with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Stir until the mixture has lost its sheen, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 5
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish, spread it evenly, and let it cool completely. Once firm, cut the fudge into squares. Serve and enjoy!
If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, you can test when the fudge reaches the soft ball stage by dropping a little bit of the mixture into a dish of very cold water.
If it forms a thread as it sinks to the bottom, it needs more cooking time. If it forms a ball that can be pressed gently in your hand, it has reached the soft ball stage.
A sugar thermometer will help you control temperatures more accurately, but you don’t need one to make fudge. Follow the soft ball method to know when to let the mixture cool.
Your fudge should be smooth and creamy with a dense, melt-in-the-mouth consistency. If your fudge has a grainy texture, the sugar has likely crystallised. This can happen when you stir the mixture as it’s simmering, or before it has cooled down to 40℃. Make sure the sugar has dissolved fully before boiling and avoid stirring it as it simmers.
Your fudge can last up to one to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container. We recommend keeping it in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Yes, you can. Wrap your fudge tightly in cling film, then wrap it in aluminium foil and put it in a freezer bag. This prevents air, moisture and freezer burn from affecting your fudge. If you stack your fudge, make sure to place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
To thaw your fudge, put the freezer bag in the fridge for two to three hours. Unwrap it and serve, or wrap it with cellophane and decorate with a ribbon for a tasty gift!
To turn this into a hot fudge sauce recipe, combine all ingredients except the butter and vanilla extract. Heat on the stove over medium heat and let it boil for a few minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla and serve. Serve it over vanilla ice cream for a hot fudge sundae!
This fudge is made using Mara Sugar, which is locally grown here in Kenya. Our team supports sugarcane farmers in the Transmara region, where the sugar is grown in the lush highlands. We never import, as we want to celebrate our own crops and farmers!
