This easy Chocolate fudge recipe uses just 4 ingredients. To make it, all you have to do is combine sweetened condensed milk, your favourite dark chocolate, a little butter and vanilla. What could be easier? Want to know exactly how, so that you can enjoy this delicious chocolate fudge. Then read on…
This is essentially a kind of cheat’s fudge as there is no messing about with sugar syrups, no need for a sugar thermometer and no frantic beating involved. This recipe is really easy and straightforward to make.
Why you’ll love about this easy Chocolate Fudge recipe
- Easy to make and requires only one bowl so it doesn’t create much clearing up afterwards.
- The finished fudge is full of chocolate flavour.
- The gorgeous chocolate fudge is soft, smooth and will melt in your mouth, (and probably on your fingers 🙂 ).
- The recipe uses easy to find ingredients.
- Unlike old fashioned traditional fudge, you do not need a sugar thermometer to work out when the mix has reached the ‘soft ball stage’ making this a good recipe to use if you are not confident in doing that.
- Makes a lovely, homemade gift for someone.
What’s in this 4 ingredient chocolate fudge recipe?
It’s a little unbelievable that this delicious fudge can contain so few things and be as lovely it is. You should try it.
- chocolate – use a chocolate that you love the flavour of. Dark chocolate is best but not any darker than a 70% cocoa solid version. Milk chocolate doesn’t have a strong enough flavour to make a good chocolate fudge so don’t be tempted to use that.
- sweetened condensed milk – this comes in a tin if you’ve not used it before and it’s basically milk that has had about 60% of its moisture content removed. It’s also been sweetened and is thick and creamy in colour. It’s used a lot in puddings, desserts and confectionery. It works really well in this fudge.
- vanilla extract – Adds a nice little bit of vanilla flavour and works to enhance the other flavours in this recipe.
- butter – a small amount of butter has been added to prevent the fudge from becoming super solid.
Quick overview of making this easy Chocolate fudge recipe
There are two parts to this recipe. The first part involves melting the chocolate and butter and combining it with the rest of the ingredients and the second part is putting it in the fridge to firm up.
Part 1 of fudge making
Line a 20cm by 20cm (8 inches by 8 inches) baking tin or dish and line it with baking parchment. Let the parchment go up the sides of the tin a little as this will help you take it out of the pan when it sets.
Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a bowl. Break the chocolate up into small pieces and cut the butter into small cubes. There are two ways of doing this; either set the bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water or melt them in the microwave using a 15-second blast and stir, repeat until the chocolate and butter are melted.
If you choose to set a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water you need to ensure that the water, which includes the steam, doesn’t make contact with the chocolate. If it does, you risk the chocolate ‘siezing’, which will spoil the finished chocolate fudge.
Once those ingredients have melted you just need to mix in the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract.
Part 2 – letting the fudge set
Scrape the contents of the bowl out into the pan. It may need a little coaxing to go into the corners, the back of a teaspoon is useful for this, it won’t take long to do. Level out the top and pop it into the fridge to set.
It will take between 2 and 3 hours for the fudge to firm up..
Once it is firm, remove it from the pan and slice it up into roughly square pieces. I like it to look a little rustic but feel free to as a exact as you wish.
Storing your Chocolate Fudge
This fudge will keep up to 1 month in a covered container in the fridge. If you choose to store it at room temperature it will be quite soft.
This fudge does not freeze well.
Tips for success making Chocolate fudge recipe
- There isn’t much to go wrong with this fudge recipe but you do need to take care when melting the chocolate.
- Use a double boiler ensuring that no water reaches the chocolate else the chocolate will ‘seize’. If this happens to you it will be very obvious.
- Melt in the microwave. Use 15-second blasts of power and stir in between, continue until the chocolate and butter are both melted.
- Carefully line the baking tin that you are using to set the fudge in. Any wrinkles in the baking parchment will show up on the outside of the fudge. Some are unavoidable but if this bothers you, try and get it as wrinkle-free as possible. Personally, I like it a bit uneven, it looks like what it is – homemade chocolate fudge.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know!
If you like this then you may also like these recipes;
- Chocolate orange brownies
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Trail Mix
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse
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4-ingredient easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe
Equipment
- baking tin (to act as a mould)
- Measuring equipment
- bowl
- spoons
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups chocolate dark but not more than 70% cocoa solids
- 1 1/4 cup condensed milk approximately 1 tin
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line your 8 inch by 8 inch (20cm by 20cm) square tin with baking parchment. Let the baking parchment come up the sides a little as this well remove it from the tin later. This is going to be the mould for the fudge.
- Break the chocolate up into a bowl with the butter. Melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave using 15-second blasts of power.
- Once the chocolate and butter have melted, add the condensed milk and the vanilla extract. Give everything a good stir to ensure that it is thoroughly combined.
- Tip into the lined tin. Spread it out, coax it into the corners, the back of a teaspoon can be helpful with this. Flatten the top of the fudge as much as you can but you don't need to be too fussy with it.
- Pop it into the fridge and allow to cool and set for between 1 -2 hours.
- Once the fudge has set, remove it from the tin and place it on a cutting board. Slice the fudge up into pieces, choose a size that pleases you. Store in a covered container. In warmer weather, it may be better to keep it in the fridge as it can become quite soft.
Notes
Nutrition
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Creamy and delicious fudge with just 4 ingredients? I am THERE!
That was my thinking exactly 🙂
They are so yummy. Sometimes the simplest things are the best!
Yes, they are. It always surprises me but you right.
This chocolate fudge was delicious and super easy to make. Still can’t believe it’s only 4 ingredients. I’m going to add chopped toffee bits to mine next time. So yummy!
That’s a brilliant idea.Chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans work really too.
A dash of any chocolatey liquor would be just perfect for this easy to make fudge. I want to give it a try very soon!
Oh wow this fudge looks so rich! I can’t wait to try it!
It is lovely… smooth and a bit difficult to resist. That’s another reason for keeping it in the fridge… ‘cos it’s not so easy to keep picking at it.