A true staple in Québec, Maple Fudge (aka sucre à la crème) is a smooth, creamy and sinfully decadent maple treat that tastes like pure heaven.
Another unavoidable classic in this household on Christmas Day would be Maple Fudge, or what we Québécois refer to as “Sucre à la Crème“.
A true staple here in Québec, this fudge is a smooth, creamy and sinfully decadent maple treat that tastes like pure heaven. Just one bite is all you need for your taste buds to think they have died and gone up there to sing in unison with the angels in the sky.
Seriously… I can’t even begin to tell you how exceptionally good this stuff is.
The thing is, though, it can be a bit tricky to make, especially if you want to get it “just right”… You need to boil your cream and sugar to just the right temperature and then let it cool down and beat it to just the right consistency… This can take a bit of practice, and sometimes, too, a little bit of luck, I think.
Fortunately, however, this stuff tastes so good that EVEN if you get it wrong somehow and your fudge doesn’t turn out absolutely perfect, it’s still going to be sinfully good to eat! Trust me, I know! I’ve personally ruined MANY a batch over the years. For the longest time, I even thought that I was jinxed and that I should just plain give up on trying to make this delicacy at home.
But the thing is, it’s just too darn good to give up on! So I kept on trying, and trying, and trying some more. I tried different combinations of ingredients, different cooking temperatures, different beating methods…
Sometimes, I’d end up with a “hard as rock” crumbly mess, sometimes I’d get fudge so soft, you could almost spread it on toasts…
But FINALLY, I found THE recipe, formula and method that works for me. I made 3 batches in a row this year, and all 3 turned out PERFECT!
ALLELUIA!!!
Now I can only hope that it works just as well for you.. .
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
Start by greasing the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with butter, then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on both long sides. Mind you, you’ll have plenty of time to do that later while your sugar mixture is boiling, but I always like to get that out of the way from the get go.
Then, in a 4 quart saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 5 full minutes.
Make sure that you keep a very close eye on things (and that you use a big enough saucepan; 4 quarts is a minimum!) as the syrup will rise quite a lot as it boils!
The syrup shouldn’t boil over, but if you find that it’s getting too dangerously close to the edge, lower the heat a little bit, or carefully lift the saucepan by an inch or two for a couple of seconds…
After 5 minutes, pour the heavy cream into the saucepan but do not stir it in; simply let the mixture get back to the boil, the cream will mix right in with the syrup on its own.
Again, keep a close eye on things as the syrup will rise this time too, although not quite as much as it did before.
Let the sugary mixture simmer without stirring until it reaches 236°F on a candy thermometer, which should take about 20 minutes.
It is of utmost importance that you get the syrup to just the right temperature here, so yeah, you absolutely need to use a candy thermometer, and a good one at that. You also want to make sure that your thermometer does not come in contact with the bottom of the saucepan, as this could falsify your readings.
AS SOON as the sugar syrup reaches the magic target of 236°F, remove the pan from the heat source. As in completely remove it. Don’t just turn off the heat, that won’t be enough and your sugar will continue cooking more than it should.
Take that saucepan off the heat and add the butter to it, but do not stir it in. Just let the mixture cool like that for 8 minutes.
Now comes the step where you need to use your eyes and judgement. You need to beat some air into that sugar, just the right amount of air, and I can’t give you a clear indication as to exactly “how much” is the right amount.
I’ll try to help the best I can with a bit of visual aids and descriptions, though…
You’ll want beat your syrup with an electric mixer on medium speed for ABOUT 5 minutes, or until the sugar mixture gets thicker, lighter, looses most of its sheen and STARTS to show signs of crystallization.
At first, the syrup will be a somewhat dark, glossy caramel color, but you’ll see that it’ll soon start to get lighter in color…
The more air you beat into it, the lighter the syrup will get, and then it’ll start to get thicker, too. The swirls will keep a much more well defined shape as the beaters turn into the mixture…
Still very shiny, though. Nowhere near ready. Keep going!
After another couple of minutes, the sugar will become even lighter and fluffier and thick, and it’s now slowly starting to loose its sheen.
We’re almost there!
HA! This is the moment when you want to stop beating. Can you get a sense of how the sugar crystals are starting to form? The change in consistency is very subtle, but if you look closely, you’ll be able to see and feel it…
It’s imperative that you don’t overbeat the fudge at this point, otherwise it will turn to sugar directly into the pot and you won’t be able to pour and spread your fudge into your prepared pan. And then your finished fudge will be dry and crumbly.
Your fudge should be thick but still somewhat runny when you transfer it to your prepared pan.
Oh, and you want to be prompt when you do that, too. If you waited too long, your fudge would start to set in the pot again…
As soon as you get it to the right consistency, pour it right in!
Now spread your fudge delicately all the way to the edge and place it in the fridge until it’s completely set, about 2 to 3 hours.
Then, delicately lift the fudge from the pan by pulling gently on the parchment paper. If it refuses to budge, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes — this will help the butter that’s keeping the parchment paper in place loosen up a bit and let go more willingly…
Cut your fudge into 32 squares with the help of a sharp knife. I like to do 8 long strips and then cut each strip into 4 squares.
If everything went as planned, you are now looking at the smoothest, creamiest, most delicious Maple Fudge ever… And if things didn’t go exactly as planned, well, I’m sure that whatever it is you’re looking at is still and nonetheless incredibly delicious!
Just try not to eat the whole batch in one go. Unless you want to try your hand at it one more time.
Practice makes perfect, you know!
Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups (540ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp (45g | 1.6oz) butter
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with butter, then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on both the long sides.
- In a 4 quart saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 5 minutes, making sure to keep a very close eye on things as the syrup will rise quite a lot as it boils.
- After 5 minutes, pour in the heavy cream; without stirring bring the mixture back to the boil (careful, it will rise again) and then let it simmer until it reaches 236°F on a candy thermometer, which should take about 20 minutes.
- As soon as the mixture reaches that temperature, remove the pan from the heat source. Add the butter to the pot but do not stir it in. Let the mixture cool for 8 minutes.
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the sugar mixture gets thicker, lighter, looses its sheen and starts to show signs of crystallization.
- Promptly transfer the fudge to the prepared pan; spread all the way to the edge and transfer to the fridge until completely set, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Lift the fudge from the pan and cut into 36 squares with a sharp knife.
- Keep in a cool dry place in an airtight container for up to a few weeks.
My Evil Twin is passionate about food and has a real sweet spot for the indulgent kind...
This is a pure delight. I spent almost every day during my 3 months stay in Quebec eating them (I was there in April, just the season for Maple syrup). You fudge looks as delightful and perfect.
By the way, did you use sugar (or cassonade) in the recipe. I did not find it in the ingredients and you mentioned “sugar mixture” in the procedure. Please do clarify this step because I think in general Surce a la creme contains cassonade.
No, I didn’t use any sugar or cassonade at all, Mitanti; that’s what makes this Sucre à la Crème so heavenly and truly decadent. I has the finest texture and the most amazing PURE maple flavor. What I meant to say was “sugary mixture”. Perhaps I should rephrase that!
Bonjour, pourriez-vous transcrire votre très bonne recette de pure maple syrup fudge en français , ça serait beaucoup apprécié, merci!
Sucre à la Crème
Ingrédients :
2,25 tasses (540 ml) de sirop d’érable pur
1 tasse (240 ml) de crème épaisse
3 cuillère à table (45 g) de beurre
Instructions :
1. Tapisser le fond et les côtés d’un moule à pain avec du beurre, puis tapissez-le de papier parchemin.
en laissant un peu de surplomb sur les deux côtés longs.
2. Dans une casserole de 4 litres (minimum), porter à ébullition le sirop d’érable à feu moyen. Laisser mijoter pendant 5 minutes, veillez à garder un œil très attentif car le sirop augmentera beaucoup au fur et à mesure qu’il bout.
3. Après 5 minutes, verser la crème épaisse; sans remuer, ramener le mélange à ébullition
(attention, il va remonter) et laissez-le mijoter sans remuer jusqu’à ce que le thermomètre à bonbons indique 236 ° F : environ 20 minutes.
4. Aussi tôt que le mélange atteint cette température, retirer du feu et ajouter le beurre sans remuer. Laisser tiédir pendant 8 minutes.
5. Au batteur électrique, fouette à vitesse moyenne pendant environ 5 minutes, jusqu’à ce que le mélange de sucre devient plus épais, perd son lustre et commence à montrer des signes de cristallisation.
6. Verser immédiatement dans le moule préparé; et transférer au réfrigérateur et laisser refroidir : environ 2 à 3 heures.
7. Démouler et coupez-le en 36 carrés avec un couteau bien aiguisé.
8. Conserver dans un contenant hermétique dans un endroit frais et sec. Les carrés de sucre à la crème peuvent se faire quelques semaines à l’avance.
I made this and it turned out perfect! I followed the instructions very carefully and used a candy thermometer. Everyone loves it!
Thanks for this recipe which is a KEEPER!
So very happy to hear, Katey! And thank you for the great feedback, I really appreciate it! 🙂
I tried the recipe and it came out like a hard candy. Almost like eating english toffee. What did I do wrong here? Any suggestions?
Isaac Serbin, Maybe you let it boil past the 236? or perhaps you live at a higher altitude, or high humidity (all this matters in candy making). If that is the case you may want to remove it from heat just before 236. The longer you let it boil at 236 the higher the temp and the closer to “hard crack” stage it will be which is closer to the hard candy you are talking about (english toffee). I have had to adjust all my fudge recipes to a slightly lower temp to get the consistency like what the pros look like. I have also found my fudge seems to harden quicker once I start to mix it, I think for the side of caution to stop your candy process a little sooner than the recipe calls for if you followed everything to the letter you may get that creamier consistency.
Actually, 236F really is the minimum for soft ball, so I wouldn’t advise removing before it hits that mark. In fact, 238F is ideal for this, but the syrup usually goes up a couple of degrees even after it’s been removed from the heat source, so that’s why I say to remove it at the 236 mark. I know nothing about cooking in high altitude, though, so I can’t really advise for that. And you probably meant high BALL stage, which is the next stage right after this one, but still a long way to go at 250F… hard crack isn’t before 300F and I doubt that it can even be reached with a mixture that contains anything other than sugar and water…
Actually, 300F is the end point for toffee, which is basically 1:1 butter and maple sugar.
What you should do is have a glass of cold water when you think it might be ready add a drop of the fudge mixture into the water if it turns to a ball then it is ready. I tried the thermometer way and it got too hard. I had find a way to fix it. This time will use the cold water trick. I have always used.
i agree with your solution. MIne hardened too and I followed her recipe to a tee….I’m a baker and know how to use a candy thermometer. The water test is crucial to best results.
First thank you for the recipe and follow along instructions. So I have tried this recipe twice. The first time it turned out like goo. The second attempt much better but flaky and falls apart. Going to try again because it tastes so good and real, not with all the other ingredients in it.
So do you have a clue why it tured out flaky?
Any help will be appreciated.
Are you using a thermometer? It’s really important to get the temperature just right. It looks like your first batch didn’t get hot enough and the second batch got too hot.
Thank you soo much for your response.
Yes I used a thermometer. I think your right. Not giving up, going to make another batch. The second batch although grainy it was tasty. Thank you for the minimal ingredient recipe.
I wish I could post a pic!
I made maple syrup from the trees on my property. I used that to make this fudge wow is this ever good thank you
I just made this recipe and it is cooling in the fridge as I write. I practically scraped and licked the pot clean and it was so delicious. I feel confident that the finished project will turn out perfectly thanks to your detailed descriptions.
Fantastic!!! Married to a real québécois and this 100% passed the test!! *Wife win*
The best part of this recipe is its sweet, but naturally sweet…not hurt your teeth sweet. You can taste the yummy creamy texture and the salty butter…I made a crap ton of this stuff for #CanadaDay150. I crumbled some maple cookies on some, used a maple leaf cookie cutter on others. However half of my first batch is already gone from SO digging in.
AND FINALLY a Quebec recipe that will definitely impress my mother in law who is basically a French Martha Stewart…seriously.
Thanks!!!
Haha! This is music to my ears, Brittany! Glad this was such a complete success for you. Now you should check out my Pouding Chômeur recipe, for another wife win! 😉
If I want to double the recipe to make alarger batch for gift giving are there wny adjustments that I need to make for cooking or cooling time?
No adjustments needed really, except maybe cooling time. You might want to give it a few more minutes.
Awesome, thank you! I made a single batch, had never made fudge before and the recipe came out perfect! Hubby says it is the best fudge he has had and he is 65 so he has eaten a lot of fudge! Now he wants me to make some for his big brother for Christmas
I love to cook, and make candy every Christmas for friends and family. I LOVE this fudge!! I have made 3 batches thus weekend & will probably have to make it year round now, at least according to my family! I am not anywhere near Canada, but send every vacation in upstate NY, and have come to love maple in many forms. The flavor of fudge is justvlike maple sugar candies!! (just creamy). Thanks foe such a wonderful recipe!
You are very welcome Anne! Glad it’s to your liking! 🙂
Just made this and it’s so delicious!! I hope it lasts until my Christmas party in a few days. I’m so excited to finally know how to make this…and it isn’t even that hard! Great instructions…it came out perfectly on my first try!
YAY! I’m so very happy to hear, Jaimi, and I take that as a huge compliment… this stuff can be so tricky to make!
If I wanted to add nuts, would I do it before or after beating? Many recipes say to do it before, but that seems unnecessary. Walnuts or pecans?
I would add them after, but you’ll want to beat just a few seconds less, to make up for the extra stirring action… and my preference would go to walnuts, but both would be really good choices.
when would be the time to add toaster walnuts to this
I would add them after beating, but you’ll probably want to beat for a few seconds less, to make up for the extra stirring action…
Hello, I have yet to get this recipe to not crystalize. I have been studying every article on fudge I could find and most insist that
you cool to 110 Degrees. I am curious to know why you only cool 8 minutes? My best attempt was when I added a dash of cream of tartar, but I must have over mixed. I have spent the last 2 holidays trying to master a real maple syrup fudge but have always
ended up with sugar blocks. Fingers crossed for batch #5.
The reason to let the syrup cool down to 110 degrees is only so you get finer sugar crystals in the in the finished fudge. It’s not necessary to wait that long, but you can if you want to… if you did that, you’d also need to beat the fudge for a lot less long and I recommend doing it by hand, too.
If you usually end up with hard sugar blocks, it’s probably because you either let the syrup cook too long, past the 236 degrees mark, or you beat if for too long after it’s cooled down. It’s important that the fudge still be pliable when you pour it into the pan! Oh, and one more thing: DO NOT STIR the syrup while it’s boiling and raising in temperature, or while it’s cooling down. Resist the urge, at all costs. This could also cause unwanted crystallization.
Hope this helps! Good luck with this next attempt, and please do let me know how it turned out. I’m crossing my fingers with you!
Recipe calls for 3tbs butter. When are we adding this?!
Hi, I am wondering whether this could be made with milk instead of cream? I don’t tolerate cow dairy well but do goat dairy and I’ve never seen goat cream for sale.
You really need to use heavy cream for this, Melissa…
You might try evaporated goat’s milk.
How about canned avaporated cow milk during this coranavirus sugar season?
It would most probably work just fine!
This is from a year ago, but if you are ever looking for a maple goat dairy fudge check out this recipe: https://crosswindfarm.ca/blogs/recipes/maple-cream-goat-cheese-fudge
Instead of using heavy cream it uses goat milk and goat cheese. It turns out pretty similar in flavour to this recipe, I’ve made them both!
That sounds highly intriguing and interesting! Goat cheese and maple. YUM! Have to try!
What about using coconut cream? Also, heavy cream doesn’t have much, if any, lactose, so it may not bother you.
What if it is to liquid after beat it
Hard to say, Alex… could be so many things! Why do you think it was still too liquid?
I had the same issue. It didn’t thicken at all. It was watery, liquid. I kept beating for another five minutes- same thing. Finally I had to add some confectioner’s sugar to thicken it. I’m so disappointed because I like that the “sugar” ingredient is the pure maple syrup. Maybe I’ll try again- but at the price of these ingredients- I loathe to waste any of them.
When I first made this recipe, it was too liquidy as well I tried putting it in the fridge still but it was just a slightly thicker creamier syrup! I realized I had to check my thermometer by letting it sit in water waiting for it to boil and checking what the temperature said. Yours could be off by a few degrees. Then adjust your recipe, ever since then I have made this recipe 10 times and it’s always perfect. Half the reason I think my fiancé fell in love with me.
Were you able to salvage the fudge that was too liquidy or did you have to throw it out?
is there a way to salvage it if its to liquidly? I beat it for 25 minuets and it never thickened up. 🙁
Chances are it just didn’t get all the way up to the right temperature. Check your thermometer for accuracy, reboil and rebeat. That should do the trick!
I just made this for part of my Christmas baking! It turned out perfectly! I am shocked I could do it! Haha! One question: do I store it in the fridge? Thank you so much!
I like to keep mine in the fridge, because I’m one of those weirdos who likes to eat things cold, but you don’t have to, unless you found it to be a little bit on the soft side and wanted it to have a firmer texture.
Happy Christmas to you, and enjoy the fudge (I’ve no doubt that it’ll become part of a new tradition!)
Merry Christmas!
I made a half batch the first time I made this recipe and it turned out perfect. It was smooth and creamy. I just made a full batch and it turned out grainy. Do you know why it would be grainy this time?
Can I use a stand mixer to mix the fudge?
I’d stick with a hand mixer or do it by hand.
This recipe is amazing. For me, reaching the 236F took around 25-30 minutes and I suspect that I didn’t simmer the syrup by itself long enough. Also, I beat the syrup on high around 10 minutes – longer than I felt cause I wanted to follow the photo instructions. Since it still worked out perfectly, it looks like the 2 main things to follow are as you write: following the 236F and then beating the mixture until it has the color of the final fudge. Now I have one serious problem: how am I going to keep my low-calorie diet. I think I am going to dream of maple fudge!
Hahaha! That stuff is pretty addictive indeed, Chris! Glad it turned out after all that hard work! 🙂
I am wondering if I could make a large batch of this on my Maple Candy machine? Or if it wouldnt be mixed enough.. any suggestions?
I’m really not familiar with this Maple Candy machine, so I’m afraid I can’t be of much help, Jennifer… sorry about that!
Absolutely delicious, on batch three trying to get a firmer consistency. Thinking may have to go above 236 degrees for better crystallization. Anyways the taste is perfect and with the sap at a halt and a few litres left from last year its worth trying to perfect this recipe!
We’re in our second season of tapping our maple trees here on our property in Clayton, ON and making our own maple syrup. Tried this fudge recipe 2 weeks ago and everybody loved it (and it seems extra special when you get to use your own syrup). On to batches 3 and 4 already. The one thing I haven’t been able to perfect yet is the consistency. It seems a little too soft and I’m trying to figure out why. Temps and times were dead on. This latest batch I tried to beat it for a longer period of time…almost 20 mins. We’ll see if that makes any difference. Anyways, it’s been the best tasting ‘failures’! 🙂
Haha, I’m totally with you on the best tasting “failures”! Maybe your maple syrup has a little higher moisture content, so try bringing it up in temperature a few degrees more.. like 238°F – 240°F, and see where that takes you! Be sure to keep me posted on your future failures and successes! 🙂
First time I tried this recipe it came out great but I used a Teflon coated pan and found Teflon flakes in the finished fudge. Had to throw the entire batch out. The second time using a ceramic-coated pot it came out more like caramel chewy consistency than like fudge. I think I did everything the same but with different results…could I have undercooked it? It’s kinda hard to read my thermometer – maybe I missed the mark there?
Getting the syrup to the right temperature is absolutely crucial, so be sure that you use a thermometer that you can trust, and read! Also, I strongly suggest that you stick to non-coated, stainless steel cookware; it just does a better job at distributing the heat evenly.
I followed everything to the “T” but when the butter is added and cooled for exactly 8 minutes and I start to use my hand mixer it only took about 1 1/2 minutes for it to thicken and set, it wouldn’t exactly pour out but was soft. Some did end up crystallizing to the pan.
Did I do something wrong?
Did you check your thermometer for accuracy, Shelby? My guess is the syrup got too hot…
Three times a charm. I made the mistake of overheating (I thought it was 256, not 236 degrees). This time I hit 236, and took it off the stove. It worked, and it’s delicious!
YIKES!!!! 256, that’s way too hot!!! Glad you realized your mistake and tried again. Isn’t this stuff absolute heaven?
Thank you I love you forever !awesome.We make our syrup here in NY and looking for recipes.Absolutly perfect!
I am wondering if you know the temperature you let the syrup get to during the boil before cream is added? You say to simmer until it reaches 236 F, what is the temperature to reach at a boil?
The temperature at that point isn’t really important, Victoria. Just let the syrup boil for about 5 minutes before adding the cream and you’ll be fine!
Alex and June bug had it come out too watery. If they cooked it to the proper temperature they were either not
using heavy (35% butter fat) cream or purchased a fake maple syrup. Fake maple syrups do exist so read the label
carefully.
I’ve been making a very similar recipe to this one for quite a while, we produce maple syrup in Michigan so I’m always on the look out for good recipes. You have stressed that temperature is very important, can’t stress that enough! Raising the the target temperature will only work if you have a candy thermometer that is inaccurate and reading low Or you need to check an elevation chart and boil to the temperature suggested for the elevation you live at.For example, water boils at 212 degrees at sea level but at 4500 feet above sea level it boils at 204 degrees. A couple of other things to consider are the quality of the heavy cream and the butter. Unsalted Real sweet cream butter is what you want to use as salt draws moisture to itself and is often times the cause when the fudge turns out too soft. All in all this is a great recipe with clear instructions. Thanks for taking the time!
I live near Denver CO. 5200 feet above sea level. According to the calculations, I should reduce the temperature by 10deg F or to 226deg. I am still getting too soft (gummy) fudge. This is my second try. I need suggestions on how to succeed with this and how to salvage my last batch of gummy maple fudge.
Thank you so much for responding
Michael M.
Amazing recipe! Only comment – when you say “simmer” do you not mean a rolling boil? I just continued boiling everything and it worked out great.
A slow boil or simmer will work just fine, Becky. It’s not necessary to have the mixture boil very heavily.
I just put mine in to set…I made it with a cinnamon infused maple syrup. What little bit I tried out of the bowl almost made me cry it was so good! I can’t wait to try the final product.
Cinnamon!!! OMG, this has to be amazing. Now I think I want to cry, too! HAVE to try this with my next batch!
It turned out so yummy! I dont know if you have it available to you but I used Crown Maple Syrup ( Not the alcohol, lol). I wish I could post a pic of the bottle. It is quite expensive but good if you just want a single batch. Not recommended for larger batches as it may break the bank at $12.50/ 8.5 oz.
Glad it turned out great, Lydia!
I’m lucky enough to live in a place where lots of very good, top quality maple syrup is produced every year: Quebec! Here, we can get our hands on the real deal for about $5 a can (540ml). That’s a total steal!
I tried making it but when I was mixing it after the butter smelted in the pot, it didnt thicken much at all….it did turn a lighter color though. what was my mistake??
Could be so many things, Em… The quality of the ingredients you used, the accuracy of your thermometer, not letting the syrup get hot enough. It’s hard for me to pinpoint the exact reason without having access to all the information.
This tastes amazing but mine turned out soft. Too soft to cut. It tastes really good and I’d like to try again. What could have gone wrong. I’d like to fix my mistake… thank you so much!
Did you check your thermometer for accuracy? Sounds to me like perhaps your syrup didn’t get quite hot enough…
Just made this recipe and it turned out amazing. It is my new favourite!
We were so excited to try this! We used a stainless steel pot, and took it off the burner when the temperature reached 236. But it rose all the way past 250 before it started to cool down! We tried to continue, but it turned hard after only about two minutes of using a mixer, and smelled a little burnt. :/ Would a different pot work differently? What type did you use?
I don’t know what to say Rachel… it’s normal for the sugar mixture to keep climbing in temperature after it’s been taken off the heat but 14 degrees really is a lot! It’s usually no more than a degree or two. Maybe next time place your pot in a bath of cold water instead of just removing it from the heat?
My candy thermometer has the “soft ball” label at 240. When I make Marshmallows, I use the 240 soft ball mark. But now, you say it’s at 236. Google says it’s from 235 to 240. Which is it? I’m so confused.
I never mentioned the soft ball stage in my post, so I’m not sure where you got the idea that I set it to be at 236? But for the record, I’ve always been taught that it was 238, and that’s also what my thermometer seems to believe… It’s always worked good for me.
I like the idea of adding powdered sugar when the fudge is too soft.
My problem has been that the mixture gets too hard – I got a new candy thermometer that seems to be off cuz the mixture goes beyond the soft ball stage. What I did was add more cream during the mixing stage and that helped prevent it from getting too hard. Going back to my old thermometer!
What percentage is ‘heavy’ cream for you?
35%
I made this and wow it took me right back to my childhood in Quebec. Almost got the texture right and the taste was perfect.
I was so excited to find your recipe. I had never attempted fudge before and challenged myself to learn how to make it. But I have to admit it took me 3 tries to get it right. The first time it did not set – too runny – so I reboiled it and it come out solid but very sugary. I thought it must be my candy thermometer so I bought one just like yours. The second time I used both thermometers but got scared when they showed me 2 different temps. I took the syrup mixture off the heat too soon and again no fudge just a runny mess. So I tested both thermometers with boiling water and determined that my old thermometer is off by 10 degrees and that the new one (like yours) is right on. I tried again and I have to say the third time is the charm for me because it came out perfect. Thanks for sharing your recipe and ALL YOUR PHOTOS! It really helped me to see what I was supposed to be doing at each stage.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience, Marie! That is extremely valuable information. Indeed, the temperature of the sugar syrup is capital in succeeding with this fudge recipe and many thermometers tend to be off. Also, it’s imperative that the thermometer does not come in contact with the bottom of the saucepan, as this will falsify your readings. The advantage of the model I use over many other models out there is that it simply cannot come in contact with the bottom of the pan, making it more accurate than most. Anyway, I’m real happy to hear that you finally managed to make a successful batch of this decadent fudge, and that you found the photos helpful, too! 🙂
I volunteer with our 4th grade maple syrup program and am always trying to find something they will like as they aren’t always accustomed to a strong maple syrup flavor. I’ve made hard candies, maple sugar, and just put my first batch of this maple fudge in the fridge. Gave a small bowl scraping to my husband and he literally moaned in delight. Not sure I want to share it with the kiddos – might save it for our other adult volunteers! Thanks for your complete, detailed recipe and the many replies to so many questions – all have been very helpful. NOTE: I did have to use a stand mixer as I don’t have a hand one. After the butter had been in for 8 minutes I poured into the mixer bowl and began mixing. Only took about 5 minutes to change color and begin setting. Not sure if it will be too firm but I don’t care – we’ll enjoy it anyway!
Haha! I’ve no doubt that you will be enjoying this fudge no matter what. Hope it turned out perfect! Thanks for your kind words, Dana. 🙂
Just finished a batch of fudge. I bringing it to work tomorrow and asking for a couple days off to go to Wisconsin to help in our fifth generation maple syrup tradition. Is it wrong ?
The fudge brings back memories. Thanks, Dan
Hi! Does it matter if I use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks so much!
Not at all, Erin. Use the one you have on hand!
I’ve tried different recipes and they never came out very good this one is great everyone loves it directions are very easy to follow. What kind of syrup do you use mine seems to be a lot darker then your pictures of the finished product?
Real happy to hear, Devin! Pure maple syrup varies greatly from batch to batch, from producer to producer and from year to year, but I usually go for medium to dark, Grade A pure maple syrup. I say the darker, the better! 🙂
My syrup seemed very dark so I did my best to pay attention to the mixture while I was beating. I’m a little nervous because when I poured it it was the consistency of a caramel. I tested the leftovers in the pot and it’s yummy at least.
This recipe is amazing. I followed it as closely as possible and it worked out beautifully. Not only is the taste wonderful, but it is pretty also. The cost of maple syrup may be the only thing that saves my diet. Thanks for all of your help, including the photos.
*HIGH FIVE* So happy to hear, Ann! You are very welcome, and thank YOU for the awesome feedback! 🙂
I cannot for the life of me get this to set right. It stays the consistancy of caramel. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong because I’m following directions to a T. I also tried getting it to 240 instead of 236 and mixing it longer same results. It looks exactly step by step like the pictures above just won’t set up I’ve attempted it twice and my mom tried once hers she read the directions wrong and heated it to 263 so it set up in the pot.
I’m guessing that your thermometer is probably off by a couple of degrees, so you’re simply not heating the sugar mixture as much as it needs to. I suggest you test your thermometer… and know that when the mixture won’t set, it is possible to put it back in the pot and heat it a little more. Hope third time will be the charm for you!
I just made this…. and WOW this is good fudge! I’m so happy that for my first time making fudge it turned out so wel!! I’m already planning my next trip to buy more maple syrup! This time I’m doubling the recipe!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Awesome! So happy to hear that it came out good, Deniez! 🙂
Just put my batch in the refrigerator. Colour was different since my maple syrup was dark Amber to begin with. Licked the pot clean. It was so yum. However I found really fine granules that tasted like milk solids. Was this the butter or the cream? The mixture was super smooth before I added butter. I used Lurpak unsalted. A little sad if butter choice messed it all up.
Texture / thickness/ viscosity of fudge mixture was great too. Formed a ribbon when poured just like your picture.
my sister in law made it true to your recipe for christmas and we inhaled it, it is the best ever fudge (ever!!), I am such a maple-o-holic. And now I invented a vegan version, as there are some food sensitivities around. Exchanged heavy cream with rice based vegan cream with added neutral oil to increase fat content, and neutral coconut oil for butter. It took forever to reach the magic temperature (I had to add some more coconut fat to the boiling mix to increas the fat content), and it turned out quite perfect! Just the right consistency, beautiful to cut and delicious to eat. The taste is a bit different, you notice the vecan rice cream taste a bit, I’ll experiment with different vegan creams next time. But highly recommended even vegan. Wow! Thanks!
Oh how cool! I’ve been meaning to experiment with vegan options too. My first attempt was a complete disaster, so I’ll be sure to follow your guidelines when I decide to give it another go…
ok, I did it again! This time used almond based vegan cream, again with added neutral oil and neutral coconut oil for butter. The temperature just can’t be reached somehow, also maybe we need less as we’re on about 2000 feet elevation, but anyhow, it turned out great again, even better! The discreet almond taste goes much better with the maple, and the texture is a bit more fudgey than last time (probably boiled too long and then beat too long, still delish). So this time, fantastico. I am officially addicted!
I mastered the recipe and its the best recipe
Awesome! Good to hear! 🙂
Best maple fudge ever! We tap our own maple trees and I love making this recipe in March. Thank you for the recipe!
Awesome! Real happy to hear, and thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
I NEVER make fudge because it doesn’t come out right, but my hubby loves maple so I gave it a try. I followed instructions exactly & it came out perfect.
Awesome! Super happy to hear, Linda! 🙂
I will attempt this with my maple syrup we are making this year. I just want to know and I am worried, doesn’t the cream curdle when you put it into the hot maple syrup? How do you avoid that?
Thanks
No, it doesn’t. Just follow the recipe and you will be fine!
What % cream do you suggest? 18%? 35%?
I couldn’t find one labeled “whole cream”
Only table cream 18%
Or whipping cream 35%
Heavy cream is 35%
Great recipe. Love your photos for beating cues.
Can I double this recipe.
Absolutely! I have done so myself many times. Just be sure to use a big enough pot!
Well today I made my first batch of yummy fudge.i followed your instructions to a tee and wow this stuff is awesome everyone that has tried it love ❤️ it. My only concern is that it’s hard to stop eating it.
Real happy to hear, Dave! And yeah… I’m so with you on that one: this stuff is incredibly addictive! It’s hard to stop at one square…
I made it vegan!, soooooo amazing.
I used coconut cream and coconut oil, instead of their dairy counterparts
I have been trying to make maple fudge for years, with many failures. But recently I’ve started to get it to work, yet it still fails about 50% of the time. It’s odd because I seem to be doing everything the same each time, and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Yet I keep trying because the successes are so amazing, plus I have a maple syrup operation with 2700 taps, so lots of syrup to experiment with.
My recipe I’ve got to sporatically work is very similar to yours. I’ve been heating mine to 238 degrees, but that could just be a difference in thermometres. I wonder, have you ever tried checking the boiling temperature of water with your thermometer? That’s a good way to compare different thermometers. The boiling temperature of water varies by a few degrees depending on atmospheric pressure, which in turn varies depending on altitude and weather. So when making maple syrup, it’s a good idea to check the boiling temperature of water, and then add 7 degrees to that to find the boiling temperature of syrup. When making maple butter, the target temperature is 22 degrees above the boiling point of water.
For fudge, I’ve read many different recommendations for temperatures to boil the fudge to, everything from 235 to 245. I think the variation comes from different thermometers and different atmospheric pressures. I’d love to see a recommendation for degrees above the boiling point of water for fudge. That would then give a consistent guide to everyone, regardless of variations with thermometers and air pressures. For instance, if your thermometer reads water boiling at 212, then boiling the fudge to 236 would be 24 degrees above the boiling point of water. However, you should really check the boiling point of water each time you make fudge, because it might change a bit between a high pressure, sunny day, and low pressure, cloudy day.
I think each person needs to experiment with their own thermometer and location to find the temperature that works for them. I’ve had some success with 238, but still about half the time I’m getting gooey caramel instead of fudge. So maybe I need to go a bit higher. Traditional recipes say to look for the soft ball stage; I’m not sure how precise that is.
I’ve also read that lighter syrups crystalize better than darker syrups. And i think when it stays gooey that’s a failure of the fudge to crystalize. I think that’s why there is so muh failure with making fudge from straight maple syrup – it’s harder to get it to crystalize than sugar. I tried making a really big batch recently, and it was a failure. I think the longer cooking time might have darkened the syrup to the point where it wouldn’t crystalize. I also had the experience recently of cooking two batches side by side; one turned out perfectly, the other was a gooey mess. The only difference I could see betwen the two processes was that the one that failed boiled a little faster, and seemed to get darker. However, just tonight I tried cooking two batches again, this time being careful to boil both slowly, and they both failed. I should say that my batch size is 4 times yours, as I’m trying to make enough to sell at markets. I’ve read that you shouldn’t double fudge recipes, and I’m quadrupling. My batches take about 2 hours to cook down. Maybe batch size plays a role, but I’m not sure what the issue is exactly.
Another difference with my approach is that I let it cool to 110 degrees before beating, because I’ve read that it makes the fudge smoother. I wonder why you don’t do this? You don’t have a problem with grainyness?
The last difference is that I use a stand mixer. You said in the comments that you wouldn’t recommend this, but why not?
Interesting that you don’t stir the butter in. I know doing so can make the fudge grainier, but I’ve been unable to resist doing so, because I felt like it needed mixing in. But I will try just leaving it. And I’ll try the suggestion someone else made in the comments about using unsalted butter.
One final question: how long do you usually mix for?
Thanks for your recipe. Maple fudge is such a paradox; it’s incredibly simple and easy to make, yet there are so many little mistakes you can make that ruin it, it’s incredibly hard to get it all right. But when you do get it right, it’s like glimpsing heaven, and you just keep trying and trying, hoping to someday master it.
235 degrees F is an approximation for soft ball stage for melted sugar. A true test is to drop a teaspoon full of the syrup into Cold water and pull the syrup from the water with your fingers. It should be able to be formed into a soft ball.
I fell in love with maple fudge as a kid but only recently found out what it was called. I tried a recipe off another site and did not come out well at all. I looked and looked then found your recipe. First try it came out better than I could hope!! Everyone loves it, my wife is now addicted to it! Thank you so much for the step by step pictures and comments of what to look for! I am now making a double batch for church tomorrow night. Thank you again for taking the time and effort you did to make this the perfect recipe!
You are so very welcome, Christopher. I’m very happy to read that the post was helpful to you, and that you had much success making the fudge! Isn’t it sinfully delicious?
Is it possible to do this in a stand mixer? If not, what type of pot will hold up to a mixer in the pot? I used pot that when I used the mixer it scraped the coating off! I was not thinking about it. LOL.
Oh no! You need to make sure to use a pot that doesn’t have a coating! I suppose you could transfer the mixture to your stand mixer if you wanted to, but I think it would be best to use the paddle attachment if you were to do that, and keep a real close eye on things!
So I recently tried to make the fudge according to your recipe. I followed the directions very carefully. My question is that the directions say to bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to simmer for five minutes. It doesn’t say how long you should boil it before you reduce it. This is where I think my fudge failed. After leaving my maple glaze in a pan overnight I still had a very thick maple glaze in the morning. Tasted great just didn’t set up like fudge. Any recommendations. And yes I used a candy thermometer.
I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Ellyn, but there is no set time to let the let the mixture boil. As soon as it starts to boil, you bring down to simmer and count 5 minutes, then add cream and boil/simmer again until it reaches 236°F. If your fudge never set, then maybe you didn’t beat it long enough, or maybe you should check your thermometer for accuracy. Hope this helps!
Did you ever have to boil/simmer it for longer than 20 minutes to get it to reach 236F I’m just worried something I did was wrong because it took 25 min. Thanks
I had my electric range set on medium (6) and it seemed to get “stuck” at about 220*. I edged it up to about 7, and got it up to 235*. I verified it with a digital thermometer since I didn’t calibrate my new candy thermometer (pretty accurate for a cheapo). I was afraid I’d burn the bottom, but it sailed through just fine. It probably took closer to 30 minutes, though.
Is there any way to fix fudge was very crumbly
Unfortunately, this means that the syrup got too hot and there is no way to fix this…
I made this again today and I left the stove temperature on Medium but I think that was too hot as it got up to 256 degrees in a very short time. Are you supposed to reduce the temperature eventually?
I knew that that was too hot, and I knew from experience that marshmallows or marshmallow cream results in a fail-proof creamy fudge, so I threw in, with the butter, a few handfuls of mini-marshmallows that I keep on hand to keep my brown sugar from hardening. I should have added more, but it was still a decent texture in the end!
Hi! What is the shelf life of the fudge? (I mean, I can’t imagine it will last long, haha, but how long will it keep at room temperature, or in the fridge?)
We tap big leaf maples on Vancouver Island, very excited to try this with our syrup once the season starts!
It will keep for several weeks at room temperature, and up to a few months in the fridge.
Should I use regular salted butter? or unsalted butter? Thanks so much for this recipe!! I am looking forward to making it
Can I use 15% cream? Or should it be 30% +?
Definitely 30%+
Can I add nuts?
Absolutely!
Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of heavy cream?
Absolutely!
Hi evil twin,
I just want to say thank you fotr the clear concise instructions. I had a big ty written out but fingers hit a wrong button!! Recipe is perfect!!
Hi!
Can we use anything else instead of maple syrup
Thanks
Well I tried and didn’t succeeded. I have done fudge in a long time but when I did right after I put the butter in I would start stirring tight away. But waiting 8 minutes just ruined it. I put in in the pam almost lile brown sugar. It never had a chance to change colours. Once the butter was in the fudge within less then 1 minutes it was hard and it crumbled like brown sugar. I did use a wisk for about 30 seconds then it was all stuck to the wisk.
Next time I will stir it right away.
I figured out the problem. I over cooked it. I was using a thermometer and it was giving ma false reading
So add 1 1/2 cup of water. On low heat I let the fudge to melt then I continued cooking it. It stays a darker colour because of the caramelized sugar crystals. But looks good
Glad you figured it out and even managed to salvage it, Monique. Maple syrup is a terrible thing to waste! 😉
It melts in your mouth it is so good. I never knew you could fix mistakes like I did.
Thanks
This was the 3rd time of me making your recipe. 1st time, good, but crumbly. 2nd time perfect but my husband ate it all before I could get some. 3rd time, everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Syrup boiled over edge of pot, even with me watching it. Then after adding the cream, it would not get up to temperature even after boiling for close to an hour. Decided to mix it anyway, and you guessed it. Would not harden. Runny. So back on the stove we go and after about 10 minutes I get it up to 236*. Let it cool down, and viola, we have fudge. Thank you so much for explaining that there are ways to salvage it when it doesn’t work the first time. This batch I’m hiding just for myself!!
Hahaha OMG, and so should you! After all that, you totally deserve it! Your perseverance has been well rewarded! 🙂
Hello! I tried making your Maple Fudge (I haven’t had much experience making fudge in the past)….but…after adding the cream, it seemed to reach 236 degrees way before the suggested 20 min had past (I had it on Medium Heat)…so I took it off the heat after only about 6 minutes then followed the instructions about adding the butter and letting it cool (about 10 min). Then I beat it (on a Medium setting) for 5 minutes and it’s still just liquid-y, syrup-y….it never thickened. What did I do wrong? Not sure how ‘exact’ my thermometer is. Thanks (I’m saving my epic fail to use as Vanilla Ice Cream Sauce!)
You should definitely test your thermometer for accuracy, and also make sure that your thermometer never touches the bottom of the saucepan, as this would falsify your readings.
It took almost 40 mins. to get up to temp. And I think I should have stopped beating at 4 mins. I added a cup of fine ground nuts because I’m using it for a filling in chocolates, so don’t think it will make too mach difference for those. But if I wanted it as fudge I would have to make minor changes.
Thank you for your very descriptive directions. My first attempt seems to have nailed it (we’ll see what comes out of the fridge!) The times were pretty accurate, except my stove may cook cooler as it took nearly 30 minutes to hit 236*.
The beating descriptions were a life saver, as it took about 8 minutes of beating but it was just a moment where it went from shiny to matte and I knew to stop from the instructions. This is supposed to be for a work Christmas party, we’ll see if it survives that long…
This recipe worked out perfectly! I didn’t want to make fudge with sweetened condensed milk and this fulfilled my love of maple.
Thank you and happy holidays!
I followed this EXACTLY and had a big fail. Never set up at all. I hate to waste the ingredients. Wonder if I added marshmallow cream to it if it would set up. Afraid it would be too sweet though. Thoughts?
Sorry to hear, Kathy… did you check your thermometer for accuracy? Reaching the proper temperatures is of utmost importance for this recipe to work…
This recipe is definitely going in the family cookbook! It turned out perfect ! I followed your recipe exactly and it is indeed no fail . My husband loves maple fudge and hates the store bought ones so this is a life saver for us!
Just a quick question before I attempt making this. Are you adding the cream to the pot cold from the fridge or do you bring it to at least room temp before adding it? It looks and sounds fantastic.
You can add the cream straight from the fridge, no need to bring it to room temperature…
I was curious did you use regular butter or no salt butter for this recipe? Wasn’t sure if it mattered.
Thanks! Hoping to try making it today.
It’s best to use salted, although unsalted would definitely work.
I’ve now made Pure Maple Fudge 3X & it’s turned out perfect each time! One thing I will mention is that I didn’t let it cool for a full 8 minutes. Once the temp got down to around 200F it looked like it was setting, so I quickly added the butter & mixed it & managed to get it into the pan just in time! The fudge is DELICIOUS!,
Hi, I’ve made this recipe 4 times now, and it always turns out. Except my timings seem to be off- do you lower the heat when you simmer both times or keep the heat at a stable medium heat? I end up having to turn up the temp when it doesnt reach 236 after 20 min.
What’s important is reaching the exact right temperature, it doesn’t really matter if it takes longer… but if what you’re doing now works for you, stick with it. Why fix it if it ain’t broke, right? 😉
Unfortunately this recipe did not work for me despite following it as it was written. It smelled amazing while it was cooking but it turned into a soft chewy caramel vs a maple fudge. I did use a candy thermometer and removed it at 236.
Maybe your thermometer is a little bit off? I’m guessing that your syrup still needed to go up a couple of degrees, or that you didn’t beat it quite long enough to make the shift happen, or a combination of both. You could reboil and retry, or enjoy some delicious soft chewy caramels.
Having the same issues as a few others. I am using a professional thermometer that was just checked for accuracy. I live in a high altitude area, so I pulled the mix off of the stove at your recommendation temp. It looked just like caramel. Added butter. Let it cool for 8 minutes. Started to mix by hand but it was like mixing oil and water. Started with the hand mixer. It was going well, but suddenly (within like two seconds) started to crumble and turned into what looked like chunky brown sugar. What happened?
Your answer kinda lies right there within your question, Jennifer. Living at high altitude will affect everything and you do need to make adjustments to reflect your reality, depending on your elevation… As a general rule of thumb, for each 1,000 feet above sea level, you need to reduce the temperature [of sugar] in recipes by 2°F. So your syrup definitely overcooked and that’s why the mix crumbled…
I had similar issues of it not setting. One thing others didn’t mention that happen in the first step. The syrup came to a frothy boil quickly but it was boiling over almost continuously. ( there is a video using this same recipe on YouTube) on that video it styles down it settles down and the syrup is not frothy. She attributes this to the water in the syrup boiling off.
It also does seem to get any thicker. After I add the cream it does the same. It does come to the right temp but even leaving to much long it doesn’t pass the water test. Too too gooey. Ps your description of the Subtle change during mixing makes me want to use your recipe.
You say the syrup came to a boil quickly but boiled over almost continuously… obviously, this is not good! Either you had the heat on too high (which I suspect was the case since the syrup shouldn’t come to a boil so quickly over medium heat) or your pan was too small. Like I mention in the post, you need to keep a close eye on things and if you ever find that the syrup is getting too close to the edge of the pan, lower the heat a little bit, or carefully lift the saucepan by an inch or two for a couple of seconds to prevent any boilover from happening. If your syrup boiled over, then you lost some of the sugar and your ratio of sugar to fat to liquid was off once you added the cream. You absolutely have to have the proper amount of sugar for the crystallization to occur.
Hope this helps and that your next attempt goes better! But like I said, making sugar fudge is very tricky, and sometimes, even when you think you did everything just right, it still just refuses to happen, for some mysterious reason. Luckily, the stuff is so good that no matter the turnout, you’ll always find a way to enjoy it!
Thanks for the response.
This recipe is delicious! I am a baker and have worked with pastries but this is my first attempt at fudge. I made 2 batches, one after the other with my brother’s first attempt at making maple syrup. It’s perfect! Your directions are clear and accurate and super easy to follow. Thank you!
Real happy to hear, Norma, and thanks a bunch for the great feedback! 🙂