Make creamy fudge with Nigella Lawson's 'comforting' 6-ingredient recipe (2024)

Fudge is ideal for a homemade Christmas gift and easy to make (Image: Getty)

There are so many ways to make fudge with many British varieties boasting the addition of clotted cream and buttery flavours.

One chef who knows a thing or two about decadent treats is Nigella Lawson, who has the easiest recipe to recreate this classic sweet.

Speaking about her formula for simple vanilla fudge, she said: “This is the plain, comforting, yet temple-achingly sweet, confection of my childhood.”

While it’s easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, Nigella warned that it comes with some obstacles.

She claimed that the method requires careful attention to avoid burning the pan - and ruining the fudge.

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Vanilla fudge lets the buttery flavour shine through in all its glory (Image: Getty)

Ingredients

• 250g soft butter
• 1 x 397g can condensed milk
• 175ml milk
• Two tablespoons golden syrup
• 800g granulated sugar
• Two teaspoons vanilla extract

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How to make vanilla fudge

Preparation is key for perfect fudge, so start by filling a small bowl or jug with ice cold water and place it near the stove. Next, grease a tin that’s approximately 10-inch square, or use a throwaway foil version.

Take a large heavy-bottomed pan heavy bottomed pan place all of the ingredients inside - excluding the vanilla - then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Leave to boil for 12-20 minutes while stirring as you go until the mixture is golden. The fudge is cooked when it turns solid but remains slightly squidgy when dropped into the bowl of cold water prepared earlier.

Nigella warned: “How long this takes depends on how ferociously it bubbles as well as on the properties and dimensions of the pan. This is hot work!”

When the fudge has passed the cold-water test, very carefully remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla.

An electric whisk is best for this and should be used to beat the mixture for about five minutes, by which time the fudge will have thickened to the texture of stiff peanut butter.

After this, pour and push into the prepared tin, smoothing the top as much as possible.

Leave the tin in the fridge to cool, but don't keep it there for more than two hours, or it will set too hard. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the set fudge into even squares.

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