Rich Creamy Chocolate Confection (Printable)

Smooth, creamy chocolate squares made by cooking sugar, butter, and milk to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 2/3 cup whole milk

→ Sugars

03 - 3 cups granulated sugar

→ Chocolate

04 - 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

→ Flavorings

05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the granulated sugar and whole milk until fully combined.
03 - Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Attach a candy thermometer and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 238°F (soft-ball stage), approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
04 - Remove from heat. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Stir vigorously until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is thick and glossy.
05 - Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with a spatula.
06 - Allow the confection to cool at room temperature for 2 hours until fully set.
07 - Lift the set fudge from the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into 36 uniform squares with a sharp knife.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It's foolproof once you hit the right temperature—no guesswork, just creamy rich fudge every single time.
  • 36 squares means you can gift some, eat some now, and still have plenty hidden in the back of the fridge for 3 a.m. cravings.
02 -
  • Soft-ball stage (238°F) is everything—go even one degree too high and your fudge becomes grainy instead of creamy, a lesson I learned by being impatient exactly once.
  • Once you remove it from heat and the chocolate is melting, speed matters; if you let it sit too long before pouring, it'll start to set in the pan instead of spreading smoothly.
03 -
  • A heavy-bottomed saucepan is non-negotiable because thin pans heat unevenly and can scorch the mixture while the edges are still cold.
  • If your fudge turns out grainy, you overshot the temperature or didn't stir enough during cooking; next time, stay vigilant with the thermometer and your wooden spoon.
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