Marshmallow Fluff Never Fail Fudge Recipe - My 4 Best Tips For Tasty Results (2024)

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Marshmallow Fluff Never-Fail Fudge has always been a hit in my home.

It probably helps that Marshmallow Fluff is aNew England tradition that my mom, born in the southern Boston area, carried into my family’s Florida home. (And I’m so thankful!)

Have no idea what all the fuss over Marshmallow Fluff is?

Well, before I start sharing my favorite fudge recipe, let’s take a trip to New England and see what makes this wicked goodmarshmallow cream so, well… wicked good!

Nuthin’ But The Fluff

Fluff marshmallow cream was first sold in 1920 by 2 World War I veterans named H. Allen Durkee and Fred L Mower:

  • They bought the Marshmallow Fluff recipe for $500 from a man named Archibald Query, who invented it in 1917 but had a difficult time getting his sugar-based confection off the ground during an era of wartime rations.
  • Durkee and Mower built a very successful door-to-door business selling their Marshmallow Fluff throughout New England, and by 1927 were advertising their delicious white cream in Boston newspapers.
  • The popularity of their brand spread in the 1930s as Marshmallow Fluff ads took to the radio and promotional efforts reached hundreds of thousands of homes.
  • When Durkee-Mower joined forceswith Nestle in 1956, the brand became a nationwide hit. What helped fuel the popularity of Marshmallow Fluff?
  • As the 1950s rolled on, the delicious, easy-to-make Marshmallow Fluff Never-Fail Fudge recipe was printed in magazines such as Ladies Home Journal.
  • The Fluff fudge recipe combined the famous marshmallow cream and Nestle’s chocolate bits, lifting sales for both halves of that delectable dynamic duo.
  • The family ofMarshmallow Fluff recipes grew in 1966 when the Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treat recipe was published. The simple, delicious Rice Krispies marshmallow bars were an instant hit and is still popular all these years later.

But what makesMarshmallow Fluff stand a puff above the other marshmallow creams you’ll probably find in your local grocer’s sugar aisle?

Durkee-Mower says they use a“batch-whipping process,” which they claim is the only marshmallow cream still made that way.Batch-whipping makes a smooth, fluffy product that is as fun to look at as it is to eat.

Fellow natural-foods fans like me will also be glad to know Marshmallow Fluff contains no artificial preservatives.

The Marshmallow Fluff Never Fail Fudge Recipe

There are too many tasty Marshmallow Fluff recipes around these days to count. But I can easily tell you which is my favorite: Marshmallow Fluff Never-Fail Fudge.

I don’t consider myself a chef by any stretch of the imagination, but I can tell you thatNever-Fail Fudge is about as easy to make as its name would suggest.

Almost as easy, that is!

You see, I’ve made a few blunders over the years making Fluff Never-Fail Fudge. I blame it not on the fudge recipe but rather on my being loosey-goosey with the preparation process.

The Fluff fudge recipe is really simple, and it requires a short list of ingredients — many of which you probably already have in your kitchen.

Here’s whatyou’ll need to make a tasty batch of Never-Fail Fudge:

  • 7-1/2-ounce jar of Marshmallow Fluff
  • 2-1/2 cups of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of butter or margarine (I say go for the butter!)
  • 5 ounces of evaporated milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate pieces
  • Optional: chopped walnuts or other flavorful additions

The first 5 ingredients should be combined into a large pot (I use a 3-quart pot) over low heat.

Stir the contents until everything is well blended, and then turn the heat up to moderate, letting the blend boil for about 5 minutes. Candy experts would tell you to let the fudge mixture get to soft ball stage, but at this point I’m not that culinarily attuned!

Once the mixture has boiled for 5 minutes, remove the fudge mix from the heat and immediately add the vanilla, chocolate bits, and chopped walnuts (or other tasty modifications if applicable), blending everything thoroughly.

Let the fudge cool in the pan for at least 2 hours (or 45 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator).

Cut into slices, and enjoy!

4 Tips For The Tastiest Marshmallow Fluff Fudge

I’ve made Never-Fail Fudge so many times now that I’ve also stumbled over making the fudgemore than once, too.

Here are 4 personal tips that I’ve learned from trial and error:

  1. When the recipe says you should be “stirring constantly,” they aren’t joking! One time, I left the boiling pre-chocolate fudge mixture unattended in the pot for about 15 seconds to answer a phone call. By the time I came back, I had already smelled the tale-tell odor of caramelizing sugar. Surely enough, I scalded the mixture and left it with an irreversible burnt flavor.
  2. I used to go a little over-the-topwith adding the vanilla. If a recipe called for a teaspoon of vanilla, I would add a teaspoon and a third — or a teaspoon and a half. I once added a bit too much vanilla to abatch of Marshmallow FluffFudge. As you’d guess, it tasted like it was spiked with alcohol. The fudge tasted way off and I didn’t even want to touch the rest of that batch.
  3. Make sure the chocolate bits are well stirred, because you don’t want to leave chunks behind. You’ll want to avoid streaking of the chocolate, too. One time when I was in my 20s I got impatient stirring the chocolate fudge mix.What ended up happening was the chocolate fudge set up unevenly in the pan.This affected the texture and flavor of the fudge, and it was a total loss.
  4. Some people grease their fudge pans, others use wax paper. I prefer buttering the pan simply because it’s a little cheaper and it eliminates the risk of wax paper chemicals leaching into the fudge.

More About Marshmallows & Marshmallow Fluff

Joshua

I’m a roller coaster junkie, a weather enthusiast, a frequent traveler, and a numismatist. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG). I’ve also been studying meteorology and watching weather patterns for years. I enjoy sharing little-known facts and fun stuff about coins, weather, travel, health, food, and living green… on a budget. I work from home full-time as a journalist, reporter, and author.

Marshmallow Fluff Never Fail Fudge Recipe - My 4 Best Tips For Tasty Results (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect fudge? ›

Valuable tips for successful fudge
  • Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
  • Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
  • Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
  • Beat the mixture.

What is the secret to non-grainy fudge? ›

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals.

Why won t my marshmallow fudge harden? ›

The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›

Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start. Everything must be completely melted before it is transferred to the pan to cool.

Should you stir fudge while it's cooking? ›

Don't stir!

Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage on the candy thermometer, remove from the heat and let the temperature drop to 110°F. Keep that spoon or spatula out of the pot until this happens. If you stir too early in the process, you'll make the sugar crystals too big and end up with grainy fudge.

What makes fudge moist? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

What makes marshmallow fudge grainy? ›

That smooth, creamy melt-in-your-mouth fudge texture is achieved with small sugar crystals. If the mixture is stirred too soon — when it is warmer than 110 degrees — the crystals will be large and make the fudge grainy.

How do you get fudge to soft ball stage? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

What happens if you cook fudge too long? ›

Too cooked

The result is hard and brittle fudge. To save the fudge, put it in a saucepan with 45 to 60 ml (3 or 4 tbsp.) of 35% cream and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely melted. Then let it boil without stirring until the thermometer reaches 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Can you reboil fudge that hasn't set? ›

How can you fix soft fudge? Put it in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough that it won't boil over. Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

Why is my fudge like toffee? ›

If your fudge has a texture like soft toffee, it could be due to overcooking, using too much sugar or butter, or not cooking it to the right temperature.

What consistency should fudge be before it sets? ›

Points to remember

You know it's ready when a small amount of the mixture dropped into a glass of cold water sets into a soft ball that you can lift out with a teaspoon and pinch between your fingers. Turn off the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes or until the mix starts to thicken a little.

Can you fix grainy fudge? ›

The solution? A fudge do-over. Even though it set up properly, I threw it back into a saucepan with about 1 1/2 cups of water and gently heated the mixture to dissolve the fudge into the water. From there, I pretty much re-did the whole cooking process.

What is the best temperature to cook fudge? ›

Add the butter, chocolate, salt, and vanilla and bring the temperature up to 235ºF. Remove from heat. Once the mixture has cooled to 110ºF, mix it with a wooden spoon until it loses the majority of its sheen. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let it cool fully before slicing.

What gives fudge its firm texture? ›

The key to creamy, luscious fudge is controlling crystal formation. If the sucrose (table sugar) crystals are small, the fudge will feel creamy and smooth on your tongue. But if the crystals are large, the fudge develops a crumbly, dry, or even coarse texture.

How to make fudge more solid? ›

there is too much leftover water in the syrup and the resulting fudge is soft. To save the fudge, put it in a saucepan with 15 to 30 ml (1 or 2 tbsp.) of 35% cream and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely melted. Then let it boil until the thermometer reaches 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!

Why hasn't my fudge set properly? ›

The most common culprit behind unset fudge is inaccurate temperature control. If the sugar mixture hasn't reached the correct temperature, your fudge won't set. Ensure you use a reliable candy thermometer and follow temperature guidelines meticulously to achieve the desired consistency.

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage? ›

How long does it take to make fudge:
  1. about 18 min to reach boiling.
  2. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage.
  3. 60 minutes to cool.
  4. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)
  5. 4 hours to set.

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