Fudge failure

[Alicia]

So I tried to make fudge today and all I have is a sticky gooey mess, which ended up in the garbage can. I was attempting maple fudge (2 cup sugar, 1 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup light cream, 2 Tbs Butter), and boiled it to 241F which I thought was too high, but as I said it was gooey, so I am confused. I cooled it to 113F before I stirred it, and by then it was really thick and hard to stir, and I never got it to turn matte.

So if anyone can help me make fudge, I would appreciate it!

[Kelli2006]

You might have gone too far because the proper temp for fudge is 235°. What was the ambient temp and the relative humidity? What kind of sugar did you use and how old was it?

[momskitchen]

Bummer! I think you went to far with the temp....it just blew by the stage where it would be matte and went right to solid.

[Alicia]

I am going to try again and take it to 235.

The weather was crazy for fudge -a thunderstorm coming in, but today is clear. My sugar was fresh as far as I know.

[Kelli2006]

High humidity , either in the atmosphere or in hygroscopic sugar crystals, can play havoc with candy making. Some people have had better luck making fudge and other candies if they use cane sugar instead of the more common beet sugar.

[momskitchen]

FYI....Harold McGee said in his book that beet sugar isn't inferior to cane sugar. In the early part of the last century, beet sugar allegedly had more impurities, but that isn't the case anymore. He says beet sugar and cane sugar are both fine. I am glad because my state of Michigan is a major producer of beet sugar. I make A LOT of candy and have never had a problem with my local sugar.