This rich and creamy Easy Pistachio Fudgeis perfect for your special dessert table and makes a great holiday homemade gift idea. This nutty fudge recipe takes just minutes to prepare and sets beautifully every time.
I have to admit it. I love fudge recipes. Every time I go to my local Farmer’s Market, I head to the indoor area where there is a vendor that sells fudge and buy a piece or two.
I don’t often make this sweet treat at home, since I know I will devour the whole pan. But when the holidays roll around, I make every version that I have a recipe for.
Home made fudge makes a wonderful Christmas gift and I love to have a variety of different types arranged in a pretty Christmas gift tin to share with friends and family.
It’s time to make some Easy Pistachio Fudge!
Gather the ingredients together. I love that the pistachio fat free sugar free pudding mix gives me the color that I want for my fudge without making it too green. It also helps the fudge to set well and makes this a fool proof recipe.
The only cooking that is needed is to melt the white chocolate, butter and water in the microwave for a minute or so. How easy is that? No boiling, candy thermometers or time over a stove. Melt, stir, mix, pour into a prepared pan.
Once the butter and chocolate is smooth and silky, stir in the pistachio pudding mix.Next, the powdered sugar gets added one step at a time. TIP: This fudge is REALLY thick before it even sets. Using a hand mixer makes it easy to add the sugar. Otherwise you will get a cardio workout for the day!
Roughly chop the pistachios so that the fudge will be filled with them throughout.
I lined my pan with aluminum foil and give myself some extra to use as handles. This makes the nutty fudge recipe super easy to remove when it has set.
Place the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and press it down firmly. A few extra pistachios pressed onto the top lets your guest know what the flavor is, and the fudge is ready to for the fridge.
This Easy Pistachio Fudgesets wonderfully every single time. It is so festive looking, too! Cut it into about 30 squares with a sharp knife.
Tasting this nutty fudge recipe
Every bite of this nutty fudge recipe is a taste sensation that reminds you that the holidays are here!
This Easy Pistachio Fudge has a creamy, nutty flavor and a pretty green color is perfect for holiday occasions or any special entertaining event.I love that it is ready to set in just a few minutes. It leaves me lots of time to do other things this busy time of the year!
For more candy ideas, please visit my Candy Creations board on Pinterest.
If you would like a reminder of this recipe for easy pistachio fudge, just pin this image to one of your dessert boards on Pinterest.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Additional Time18 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white chocolate morsels
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 package (4 serving size) Fat Free, Sugar Free instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 cup shelled Pistachios
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8" square baking pan with foil leaving some to overhang to use as handles later after the fudge is ready to remove. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe large bowl, melt the white chocolate morsels, butter and water on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until the white chocolate is fully melted. If needed heat for an additional 30 seconds or so until you get the smooth texture you want.
- Stir the dry pudding mix to chocolate mixture.
- Once completely combined, use a hand mixer and mix in the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time. (fudge will be very thick and hard to do by hand.
- Roughly chop the pistachios. Fold in pistachios and garnish the top of the fudge with more chopped pistachios.
- Press the fudge into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set.
- Remove fudge from pan. Use a sharp knife to cut cleanly into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1 piece
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 111Total Fat: 4.8gSaturated Fat: 2.5gUnsaturated Fat: 0.8gCholesterol: 6.2mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 1.7gFiber: 0.2gSugar: 14.9gProtein: 0.8g
FAQs
Tips for Making Fudge
- Monitor the Temperature with a Candy Thermometer. If you end up with soft fudge that turns into a puddle in your hands or hard fudge that is a bit reminiscent of a crunchy candy, improper temperature is likely to blame. ...
- Avoid Stirring Once the Mixture Comes to a Simmer. ...
- Beat Thoroughly.
Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals. Stirring would help sucrose molecules "find" one another and start forming crystals.
Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer.
Is evaporated milk or condensed milk better for fudge? ›
Use Evaporated Milk- Make sure to use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. If you accidentally use sweetened condensed milk your fudge will be incredibly over the top sweet. Cut up the Butter– Before adding the butter in make sure to cut it into smaller pieces for faster melting.
How do you keep fudge creamy? ›
So, the key to smooth yet firm fudge, pralines, and fondant is to first bring the mixture to a high enough concentration and then let it cool off somewhat before starting to stir. And once you do start to stir, stir fanatically and without stopping for the finest, creamiest texture.
Why is my old fashioned fudge not hardening? ›
If you didn't reach the correct temperature during the cooking process, it might not set properly. Use a candy thermometer to ensure that you reach the recommended temperature. Overcooking or Undercooking:Solution: Cooking the fudge for too long or too short a time can affect its texture.
What makes fudge softer? ›
Undercooked. This fudge was cooked until the temperature reached only108 °C (226 °F). At this temperature, the sugar is not concentrated enough... there is too much leftover water in the syrup and the resulting fudge is soft.
Why is fudge so hard to make? ›
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.
What is the ball method fudge? ›
According to most recipes, the ingredients of fudge are cooked to what is termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers.
How do you make Paula Deen's 5 minute fudge? ›
Combine the sugar, milk, butter and salt. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and marshmallows until melted; mix well.
Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!
Why do you add vanilla to fudge? ›
Vanilla is often added to chocolate candies or other chocolate recipes because it complements and accents the flavor of chocolate.
Can you redo fudge that didn't set? ›
OPTION 4) If you think the reason it didn't set was because you didn't heat it to the right temperature, you could try putting it back into the pan and re-cooking.
Is condensed milk the same as evaporated milk? ›
Both are concentrated, shelf-stable milk products that have been heated until at least 60 percent of their water content has evaporated. The main difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk is that evaporated milk is unsweetened while condensed milk is sweetened.
What makes high quality fudge? ›
You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).
Should you stir fudge constantly? ›
It is important to stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken and its surface starts to look dull or matte. Now is the time to stop beating and pour the fudge into a mould. Another tip: Do not scrape the sides of the pan or the spoon used for stirring.
What gives fudge its firm texture? ›
The key to creamy, luscious fudge is controlling crystal formation. If the sucrose (table sugar) crystals are small, the fudge will feel creamy and smooth on your tongue. But if the crystals are large, the fudge develops a crumbly, dry, or even coarse texture.
Next, the powdered sugar gets added one step at a time. TIP: This fudge is REALLY thick before it even sets. Using a hand mixer makes it easy to add the sugar. Otherwise you will get a cardio workout for the day!
