Ever since I mastered my basic vegan fudge recipe I wanted to make a vegan chocolate fudge.
But in the way that fudge likes to make you work hard for it, I worked hard for it!
I was quite determined that mixing in dark chocolate as a final step would be the way forward for it. And I got some pretty delicious fudge out of trying this method, but it just wasn’t ‘quite’ right.
I was researching fudge making for days. And everything I found had a casual add on to the end of a recipe saying ‘add in chocolate chips, nuts or whatever you like for flavoring’. Ummm, no, it just doesn’t quite work.
What happens is, when you add in the chocolate at the end, the fudge starts setting so fast you literally can’t even stir the chocolate all the way through. And you end up with very crumbly fudge with chocolate streaks all through because it wasn’t properly mixed.
So I eventually gave up on that idea (eventually, I was quite stubborn about it!), and just used cocoa powder. And that was the ticket to the most delicious vegan chocolate fudge ever!
I used my vegan condensed milk recipe again, and found that coconut milk powder works great for this one.
Coconut milk powder makes a thinner condensed milk consistency compared to soy milk powder or rice milk powder, but that isn’t an issue at all in this recipe because it’s all getting cooked anyway. In terms of taste and flavor, the coconut milk powder worked really well.
Other than figuring out the best way to create a rich chocolate flavor for this fudge, I also spent quite some time figuring out how to get different textures in the final result.
Basically, with fudge, you take a mix of sugar, butter, condensed milk and milk (vegan versions for a vegan fudge of course) and bring it to the boil, and then you stir vigorously while it boils until it reaches soft ball stage – according to your candy thermometer, which is a must for making fudge.
Then you beat the fudge as it cools and this is what makes it set into what we know as fudge! But whether the final product is softer fudge or harder snappier fudge comes down to the exact moment you stop beating it.
I have been a fan of using an electric whisk to take the hard work out of it, and this is exactly what I used in this recipe. That’s the reason for the pretty little ridges on top of the fudge, it literally sets while you are beating it.
But I tried a version doing only hand beating and this version came out a bit softer because I was able to judge the exact moment BEFORE it set and stop beating, so it retained a bit more softness.
So keep this in mind, I’ll provide instructions for both versions.
You will love this vegan chocolate fudge, it is:
- Literally the best dessert ever
- The sweetest thing you’ll ever eat, in a good way!
- Rich and deliciously chocolatey
- Super satisfying
- A perfect gift
Sugar makes a great preservative, so this will keep for a week or more in a covered container in the fridge. I have heard up to 2 weeks, but it has never been around for that long in my house.
More vegan fudge!
So I eventually did make a version where you can melt vegan chocolate in at the end, it’s our super easy dairy-free fudge recipe.
And then we have two fudge recipes that can be made in the microwave, our vegan microwave chocolate fudge and microwave peanut butter fudge.
And then we have some delicious no-bake fudge recipes, our peppermint chocolate fudge, chocolate peanut butter fudge and vegan almond butter fudge. If you love fudge, you’ll probably love all of these!
So let me know what you think of this super rich and delicious vegan chocolate fudge! Rate the recipe and leave a comment, thanks!
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Vegan Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
- ½ cup Vegan Butter/Margarine (112g)
- 2 Tbsp Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup
- ½ cup Soy Milk (120ml) or any non-dairy milk
- 2 cups White Granulated Sugar (400g)
- 1 and ½ cups Vegan Condensed Milk (360ml)
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder (42g) Unsweetened
Instructions
- Prepare all the fudge ingredients and have your candy thermometer standing by.
- Spray the tray your fudge will go into with non-stick spray.
- Have your electric whisk standing by (if you're using this method).
- With all your ingredients lined up next to you and your baking pan sprayed and ready and your whisk on standby, you're ready to begin.
- Melt the butter in a thick bottomed pot or pan.
- Add the syrup, soy milk and sugar and stir until the sugar is completely melted.
- You will know the sugar is completely melted when your wooden spoon no longer makes the scraping sound when stirring.
- Add the condensed milk and keep stirring.
- Then add your cocoa powder and using a hand whisk quickly whisk it in to remove any lumps.
- Stir the boiling mixture on high heat continuously until it reaches soft ball stage according to your sugar thermometer (about 12-15 minutes)
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute and then transfer to your baking tray.
- Using an electric mixer beat the fudge directly in the baking tray until it gets very thick and stiff and starts to set. Cut into squares while still warm and then leave to cool completely.
- Alternatively if you want to hand beat the fudge and allow for a slightly softer texture, follow these steps. Once soft ball stage is reached, remove from the heat and leave the sugar thermometer in the pot. Watch the temperature as it cools and leave it to cool to 230°F (110°C). Then begin to stir the fudge vigorously with your wooden spoon for a couple of minutes until it starts to get very thick. The color will also change from shiny and glossy to matt. Immediately transfer to your baking tray and smooth down. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use a store-bought vegan condensed milk or make your own using our recipe for homemade vegan condensed milk. If making your own you can just use all of it in this recipe.
Hi ???? Just wondering approximately how long you would mix the fudge in the tray using an electric mixer? I had my first attempt at making this recipe today and it just wouldn’t really thicken ???? does this mean I haven’t cooked it long enough? Thanks
Hi Wendy, it thickens up VERY fast with the electric whisk. Did you use a candy thermometer and get it to soft ball stage?
I would like to make this recipe. You can buy vegan condensed milk in the store now. How much vegan condensed milk does your recipe make? Is it 6 oz or 12? Thank you
Hi Diana, our recipe makes 360ml which is 1 and 1/2 cups so it’s a little more than 12 ounces about 12.7, though if you can buy it in a 12 ounce can then it will be fine to use that amount.
I’m planning on making the recipe for a vegan potluck but have my own premade sweetened condensed milk so how many ounces does the recipe require? Thanks!!
Hi Tonia, oh dear I didn’t measure it in ounces when I made this recipe as I just used the full batch. However it makes around 1 and a 1/4 cups to 1 and 1/2 cups, so if you could use that as a measure that would be ideal. It doesn’t have to be super precise with this recipe and using a little more or less won’t affect the final result.
Awesome! Thanks! I’m so excited to make this and share with friends!
Great! Let us know how it turns out! ?
When I clicked on the link for Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, it took me to just the Chocolate Fudge recipe. I would really like a link for the Vegan CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER fudge. Thank you.
Hi Patricia, do you remember which page you were on when you clicked the link? I must have made a mistake and would like to fix it but don’t know which page you clicked from. The chocolate peanut butter fudge can be found here. Thanks for letting me know, but also for future reference if you are struggling to find something just go to the search bar, either click on the menu which will reveal the search bar if you’re on mobile or it’s on the top right on desktop and type in whatever you’re looking for and it will find it for you! 🙂
Hi! Is there a substitute for the coconut milk powder? They don’t sell it where I live. Also, does the cocoa powder have to be unsweetened?
You can use another non-dairy milk powder such as soy or rice milk. The unsweetened cocoa powder just has a very rich dark chocolate flavor but any cocoa powder will likely do the trick.
Unbelievable! A fudge for vegans!