I have plans to make fudge this year for the holidays but wanted to try a new method for making it. I want to use silicone molds to put the fudge in so that once it sets it is pre-shaped. My only concern is that the molds I have don't hold a full batch of fudge. If the excess sets before I put it in the molds, is there a way to resoften it and then put it in the molds and have it set again?
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Would making a smaller batch of fudge (that will fit in your molds without any leftovers) be feasible? I assume you don't want to buy another set of molds?– senschenCommented Dec 14, 2020 at 20:08
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The problem is that I am not sure how much of the batch will fit and how much wont. I haven't looked at the amount for trying to make a smaller batch yet as I use one that is based on sweetened condensed milk and didn't think about the fact that I can use less than a full can– DVanCampCommented Dec 14, 2020 at 22:35
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2Where did you buy the molds? If you bought them online or can find the same ones for sale online, see if the product description or Q&A tell you what volume they hold. Or fill them with water, then measure the volume of the water.– cskCommented Dec 15, 2020 at 16:06
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1 Answer
My understanding of the fudge process is that you are aiming to make a supersaturated solution of sugars at heat, which, when cooled, will cause the sugars to crash out of solution all at onece into the fine crystals characteristic of fudge. This is the reason you need to remove sugar crystals from the sides of the pan - so that they don't act as nucleation points, allowing bigger crystals to form.
There are a few different sorts of fudge, some of which will be easier to fix than others. Traditional fudge is the fussiest to get right, but also the easiest to fix if necessary. So called "quick" fudge made with condensed milk or marshmallow fluff is easier to get right, but not as easy to fix, and does not rely on so heavily on sugar crystallization, but rather on protein precipitation acting as .
In principle for traditional fudge you could re-heat it by adding more liquid so that the sugars dissolve. You would then need to evaporate the excess liquid (but don't exceed the soft-ball stage at 237 F/114 C) to recreate your supersaturated solution. Whether this will work or not will likely depend on your skill at maintaining the temperature below the point above, so as to neither burn the fudge, nor turn it into toffee.
For quick fudges, there is some protein content in there from the milk or the gelatin in the fluff, which affect these. You can't really re-dissolve proteins that have precipitated and aggregated, so you will not be able to melt these ones effectively.
