Why it works: Butter and cream are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 41,516 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients
Directions
Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl.
Grate the chocolate and add it to the mixture.
Stir in the cream or milk and mix thoroughly.
Boil the mixture for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
To test, stir a spoonful in a saucer; if it sugars, it is done.
Remove from the stove and beat rapidly for 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour into well-buttered tins and cut into squares while warm.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Butter + creamtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Sugar + creamtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together43,450 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
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Cream + chocolatetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,466 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,404 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
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Butter + chocolatetop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,543 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Granulated sugar
- Provides the sweetness and, once boiled, forms the crystalline body of the fudge.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a smooth, rich texture and mouthfeel.
- Cream or rich milk
- Adds liquid and fat that soften the set and make the fudge creamy.
- Chocolate
- Supplies cocoa flavour and fat that help make the fudge rich and deeply flavoured.
The step that matters
Beating after boiling. Beating while the mixture cools lets sugar crystals form in fine, even grains, giving a smooth texture. Beating too early or too late can leave the fudge grainy or too soft to hold its shape.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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