Fudge that won't harden

HI!  Sorry....I understand this sort of thing....it is REAL unfortunate!  At this point instead of wasting all those ingredients the only thing that I can think of is to add (while hot/warm) MORE chocolate to the mix.  Try to find a hard chocolate like the DARK chocolates.  Unfortunately if you don't have any dark chocolate, then it may be worth driving to the store while it is still hot enough to just stir in the Dark chocolate hoping that it will harden it up.  I REALLY hope this will work for you.  Might have to "guess" the amount of dark chocolate to add, but it is surely better than wasting it.  Also....you may find that the recipie works AFTER it is put in the fride, so you could put a small amount in the fridge to see if this works, and then add the dark chocolate to the mix and see what happens.

The 1 pound of margarine sounds unusual.  To get my fudge to set, (I use an old fashioned recipe) like 2 tbsp of butter.  I boil it until it comes to the soft ball stage.  Soft Ball, That is when you drop several drops of the fudge mixture into a cup of cold water.  Soft ball is when you use your fingers to make a soft ball and the mixture holds its shape.  So that the Fudge doesn't get sugary, place a tight fitting cover on the pan and cook it over moderate heat.  If you stir the fudge and take it from the sides of the pan, it can become sugary.  The tight cover disolves sugar crystals that cling to the side of the pan.  If you butter the sides of the pan it will also keep it from getting sugary.  Butter works much better than margarine.  Where did you get the recipe that calls for 1# of butter?  Always use tested recipes.  On the net, look for Mamie Eisenhower's recipe.  It was famous and very good.

Good luck  Sharon

Thanks for the rely, The recipe is good I have tried it, it calls for 12 oz of Chocolat bits, 1 lb of butter, 5 cups of sugar and 1 jar of marshmallow fluff, and you boil it for 8 mins, then you add the fluff...it is so close to being gelled, but yet just a little too soft...makes me so mad...

For professional help: Phone your HOME EXTENSION AGENT.  You will find her under County. DID YOU FOLLOW THE METHOD of the Recipe exactly? 

Also, look up Mamie Eisenhowers MILLION DOLLAR FUDGE Recipe sometimes published in Yankee Magazine.  It is an excellent recipe.

I would use it as an ice cream topping.. just warm it up and serve it over vanilla ice cream and make everyone believe that is what you made it for. I am sure it will be a success!! (sorry.. I've had this problem myself! Fudge is tempermental.. was it humid the day you made it?  May be the culprit!)

I would recook the Fudge until it boils like a molten volcano.  Test the Fudge for doneness by dropping a little in cold water.  When it is ready it will form a soft ball.

All recipes are different.  The old method is, wipe butter all around  the top of the cooking pan,  Boil the Fudge on medium heat.  stir very little.  When it tests correctly, add butter and let it stand until cool.  then beat the mixture with a large spoon until it is thick.  Spread onto a buttered platter.

Sharon Slowe Macarty

It sounds like something that has happened to me before too. If it is a humid day this is more likely to occur. Your recipe sounds similar to mine. So adding butter will not likely work, but dark chocolate might. When mine was too soft before it was a humid day and it took too long to boil. It ended up caramelizing because it cooked for too long, and therefore wouldn't set. I did as the lady said before and used as ice cream topping.