Vanilla Fudge Recipe | Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you forget vanilla in fudge? ›

There are lots of fudge recipes around which don't use vanilla at all (it's a treat which is very open to experimentation in general). So if you don't add vanilla, it won't taste like vanilla, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will taste bad, have the wrong consistency or behave differently when cooked and cooled.

Vanilla enhances the flavour of chocolate by adding creaminess, balancing sweetness, and countering acidity and bitterness.

Stirring or other agitation is one of the many factors that can encourage the fructose and glucose molecules in your syrup to rejoin and form sucrose—crystals of table sugar. Why do I wash down the sides of the pan? The sugar crystals are dissolved at this point in the process.

There are various substitutes people can use for vanilla extract, but some may be better suited to certain recipes than others. These include vanilla paste, maple syrup, and honey. Vanilla extract is a popular flavoring ingredient in many desserts and baked goods.

If you are preparing a recipe that requires vanilla extract and you find that you've run out of vanilla in all its forms, some bakers use an equal measure of pure maple syrup in its place. Avoid imitation maple syrup, which is mostly just corn syrup.

If you have forgotten to add vanilla extract; you can always make a vanilla flavored glaze and brush it over the cake while the cake is still warm. Give the cake repeat brushings over the following 24 hours to build up a good layer of flavour.

If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, you can swap in 2 teaspoons of imitation vanilla or vanilla flavoring to get a similar flavor. So, no matter what extract you haveon hand, it should be easy to get that warm, vanilla flavor you love in your baked and non–baked treats!

A Note About Conversion. If you need to swap one vanilla flavoring for another, we've found that 1/2 vanilla bean is the same as 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste.

Can you add vanilla extract to dough? ›

Next time you're making pie dough from scratch, simply add a splash of vanilla extract to the ice water and give it a good stir to ensure it's evenly distributed. Then proceed as you normally do. It will take your pie dough game to a whole new level.

Conversely, if the cooking time is too brief and there is not enough evaporation, too much water will remain and the fudge will be too soft. A temperature of 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 237°F) must be maintained. This will ensure the fudge has the ideal concentration of water and sugar. Fudge is difficult to make.

By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals. Stirring also introduces air, dust, and small dried bits from the walls of the saucepan—all potential seeds for crystal formation.

Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible. If waiting for a less humid day isn't feasible, you'll need to boil your fudge at a slightly higher temperature than usual — or just order some delicious fudge from Wockenfuss!

Grainy Fudge

The sugars probably crystallized, a common mistake when making candy like fudge or caramel. If the melting sugar splashes onto the sides of the pan, it turns back into crystals and causes the fudge to seize up. To avoid this issue, swirl the pan instead of stirring it with a spoon.

Whether you're working on a sweet or savory dish, you can use many alternative ingredients to build flavor in place of vanilla. This includes maple syrup, herbs, and fruit zest. When it comes to desserts — cookies, cake, custards, and more — vanilla extract is one of the most popular ingredients.

Vanilla is an optional flavoring. Most bakers will tell you that vanilla (in double the quantity given in most recipes) helps bring out the other flavors, enhance them and make them more complex and “rounded.” But it is by no means a requirement.