Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (2024)

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If you ask me what my favourite alcoholic tipple is I would probably say gin. But, if you ask me the same question at Christmas I would say Baileys without hesitation. But, I always make sure I buy enough Baileys at Christmas to last a good chunk of the way through the year! With that in mind it felt only right to make a slow cooker Baileys fudge to enjoy throughout the year too.

Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (1)

What do you need for this Baileys Irish Cream Fudge recipe? How to make Baileys fudge recipe

Like any of our chocolate fudge recipes you need to have condensed milk and chocolate for the basis of the fudge. I use a mix of white and milk chocolate but you can play around with the ratio of white to milk to find a mix you’re happy with. I wanted our easy Baileys fudge to be as close to the colour of Baileys cream liqueur as possible.

We also use standardBaileys Irish creamfor this boozy slow cooker fudge recipe but you could use any other brand ofIrish cream liqueuror any other Irish cream flavored liqueur for a similar Irish cream fudge or you could even try using other flavours of Baileys Original Irish Cream for an easy fudge alternative.

Apart from that you can use any slow cooker for this Baileys chocolate fudge although if you have a much bigger or smaller one than standard you may have to adjust the cooking times. You also need to make sure you line your baking tin with good quality baking paper – don’t try and set the fudge in an unlined tin, it will end in disaster!

Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (2)

How long does slow cooker fudge keep for?

This slow cooker fudge keeps well in the fridge, in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. The flavour matures over the first couple of days of it being in the fridge so you get the full Baileys flavour after it’s been in the fridge for a day or two.

Can you make slow cooker fudge with evaporated milk?

Our slow cooker fudge works because condensed milk has a really high sugar content, needed to create that beautifully rich fudge. Evaporated milk isn’t the same, doesn’t have that sugar content and isn’t thick enough to help the fudge thicken and set. You can’t use evaporated milk in these recipes – so get some Carnation condensed milk instead.

I also see a lot of fudge recipes that include vanilla extract but I don’t think you need it in this one – the Baileys and chocolate have all the flavour you need.

Can you make this fudge in the microwave?

Many people make fudge in the microwave but I much prefer the control I have when I make it in the crock pot or slow cooker. If you don’t have a slow cooker, make it in the microwave by putting the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heating on short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between. Then follow the instructions as per the recipe below.

Do you cook slow cooker fudge high or low temperature?

We always cook fudge on a high slow cooker temperature setting and it takes around 40 minutes in total. You could make it on the low setting but it would take longer and would still need to be stirred regularly. You may as well keep the slow cooker on high and be done in under an hour!

When cooking, is the slow cooker fudge lid on or off?

When making slow cooker fudge, you need to remove the slow cooker lid otherwise excess moisture would be retained in the slow cooker pot and the fudge wouldn’t thicken as it needs to.

If you wanted to decorate this fudge, a Slow Cooker Baileys Malteser Fudge works well, simply by adding Maltesers to the top before putting it into the fridge. You could also try making a Baileys Salted Caramel Fudge by substituting the tin of condensed milk for a tin of Carnation Caramel and sprinkling the top with salt flakes.

Why should I make fudge?

Fudge is such a quick and easy gift to make for friends and family at any time of the year. It’s great for an end of term teacher gift and is always really well received. But, it’s also just lovely to make and share at home.

If you are looking for other ideas of simple home made fudge slow cooker recipes to try then why not give out perfect Salted Caramel, Cookies and Cream, Rum and Raisin, Peanut Butter fudge, Slow Cooker Malteser Fudge or Cherry Bakewell flavours a try? You can see all our our slow cooker fudge flavours and fudge recipes to date here too.

Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (3)

What equipment do you need to make slow cooker fudge?

Slow cooker fudge doesn’t need anything special to make it, and you probably already have everything you need at home, but this is the equipment we use:

Once you’ve got everything you need to make the fudge you can just keep making it again and again – in so many different flavours too!

So here’s our delicious Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge recipe:

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Break the chocolate up and add to the slow cooker bowl with the sweetened condensed milk and Baileys
  • Turn the slow cooker on to high and leave to cook for 40 minutes with the lid off, stirring every ten minutes.
  • When melted, thick and well combined, pour the fudge mixture into a tin lined with parchment paper or silicone baking tray and put in the fridge to set – preferably overnight.

If you’d like to pin or print this Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge for later you can do so below. Happy baking!

Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge

Although Baileys is traditional at Christmas, this fudge can be enjoyed at any time of the year. This fudge is wonderfully rich and creamy with a little kick from the Baileys.

Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, British

Keyword fudge, slow cooker

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 40 servings

Calories 126kcal

Ingredients

  • 397 ml condensed milk
  • 500 g white chocolate – can be bars or sweet chocolate chips
  • 200 g milk chocolate – can be bars or sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp Baileys

Instructions

  • Break the chocolate up and add to the slow cooker bowl with the sweetened condensed milk and Baileys

  • Turn the slow cooker on to high and leave to cook for 40 minutes with the lid off, stirring every ten minutes.

  • When melted, thick and well combined, pour the mixture into a tin lined with parchment paper or silicone baking tray and put in the fridge to set – preferably overnight.

*Note: Nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.

Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (5)
Easy Baileys Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe - What the Redhead said (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Baileys 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. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.

How cool should fudge be before beating? ›

Let the mixture cool before beating. The temperature at this point should be 43°C to 45°C (110°F to 113°F). The fudge should be warm but not burning hot. Stop beating when the surface of the mixture starts to look dull or matte.

What does beating do to fudge? ›

Beating the syrup caused the formation of crystallization nuclei, anchor points to which sugar molecules attach to form crystals. Few crystallization nuclei will form in syrup that is still hot, and sugar molecules will readily attach to them. The crystals grow so easily, and the result is really grainy fudge.

Why must fudge be vigorously beaten after it has cooled to a specific temperature? ›

The fudge is then beaten as this makes the fudge slightly crumbly rather than chewy. Beating the mixture encourages the formation of small sugar crystals, which leads to the crumbly texture. The crystals may not be noticeable in themselves but the fudge mixture will thicken and turn from shiny to matte in appearance.

What is the secret to good fudge? ›

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.
Mar 8, 2023

Can you fix fudge that didn't set? ›

OPTION 3) Sieve together some powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and gradually work this into your unset fudge until it reaches the consistency of dough, then roll out and cut into squares, or shape into balls and then roll in powdered sugar (roll the balls in icing sugar, not yourself).

What is the secret to smooth fudge that is not gritty? ›

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.

What happens if you don't beat fudge long enough? ›

However, if you don't beat it at all, the crystals won't form properly, so your fudge won't set. If you forget to beat the fudge, try heating it back up over low heat, then beat it once it's slightly softened. If you beat the fudge too soon, the crystals will be too large, and the fudge will be grainy.

What happens if you cook fudge too long? ›

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

What makes high quality fudge? ›

Candy that isn't cooked long enough will end up too soft; overcooking makes fudge crumbly or hard. High-quality fudge has many small crystals. If the process of crystallization begins too early, fewer crystals form and they become much larger.

Why beat fudge with wooden spoon? ›

In his book On Food and Cooking, food scientist Harold McGee writes, “A metal spoon can induce crystallization by conducting heat away from local areas of the syrup, cooling them and so leaving them supersaturated [causing crystallization].” He recommends using a wooden spoon, which doesn't conduct heat.

Why can't you make fudge when it's raining? ›

Cooking in High Humidity Can Cause Problems

Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible.

Should I stir fudge while boiling? ›

Stir the ingredients to dissolve the sugar until the mixture comes to a boil. If your recipe uses milk, stirring will keep the mixture from curdling. But once it reaches about 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C (the "soft-ball" stage), do not stir it or even shake the pan.

What is the best pan to make fudge in? ›

Secondly, the pot's material should allow for good heat distribution hence your top choice should be copper cookware or a pot with a copper core. Copper's exceptional heat conductivity offers unparalleled temperature control, an asset when working with finicky ingredients like sugar.

What is the softball test when making fudge? ›

making of fudge

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.

Why is my fudge not getting hard? ›

You didn't cook it long enough. Fudge needs to be heated to the "soft ball" stage. It is salvageable, but you'd have to be very careful of sugar crystallization. If you make a mistake you'll wind up with a grainy mess.

How do you fix unset fudge? ›

Reheat it to the boiling point and cook for about 3 more minutes. Then you can beat some powdered sugar into it if this doesn't make it set.

What gives fudge its firm texture? ›

Tiny microcrystals in fudge are what give it its firm texture. The crystals are small enough, however, that they don't feel grainy on your tongue, but smooth. While you ultimately want crystals to form, it's important that they don't form too early.

How long does it take fudge to set in the refrigerator? ›

Let the fudge rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before placing in the refrigerator, uncovered. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, about 2-3 hours (or overnight), before slicing and serving.

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