Pan For Cooking Vanilla Fudge | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

Our answer

Nigella's Vanilla Fudge is a traditional boiled fudge made with butter, sugar and condensed milk. The recipe suggests to use a large, heavy-based pan. We would try to use a larger "stockpot" type of pan with a heavy base and fairly deep sides. Or you could use a preserving pan if you have one. The pan needs to be deep enough so that the mixture comes only about one third up the sides of the pan before you start boiling, as the mixture will rise up as it boils. A heavy base helps to keep the temperature even.

The fudge needs to be cooked to soft ball stage and it will get to this stage more quickly in a wider pan. It may help to use a jam or candy thermometer (or a digital probe thermometer) to keep an eye on the heat. You need to get to 114c/235F on a thermometer and when a tiny amount is dropped into a glass of cold water it forms a ball that is soft enough to be squeezed between your fingers.