Whole Milk

• Whole milk is fresh milk with the natural fat left intact. Other fresh milks such as skim and 2-percent milks have much of the fat content removed. Most traditional fudge recipes call for whole milk. These recipes don't typically claim to quick. The reason for this is that the milk and sugar mixture must boil until the liquid from the milk is reduced enough that the fudge will harden properly when cooled, usually about 10 minutes.

Evaporated Milk

• Evaporated milk is canned milk with about 60 percent of its water content removed by gentle heating before being canned. It retains nearly all the nutrients of fresh milk. Before refrigeration was readily available, cooks often mixed water with evaporated milk and used it in place of fresh milk. Evaporated milk is also a common ingredient in fudge recipes. Because of its low water content, when boiled with sugar, evaporated milk takes about half the time of whole milk to form the thick sugar syrup base for fudge.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

• Sweetened condensed milk is also canned milk. It is a concentrated, syrupy mixture of sugar and milk originally created not for baking convenience, but as a shelf-stable substitute for fresh milk. This was before the practice of pasteurization was implemented to help keep milk fresh and free of harmful bacteria. Like evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk is missing about 60 percent of the original moisture content. Using sweetened condensed milk in fudge significantly reduces the cooking time. It doesn't require boiling, but just simmered with chocolate and butter until smooth. It also reduces or eliminates the need for additional sugar in the recipe.

The Bottom Line

• Fudge made with whole milk instead of evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk requires more time to make. Much of the liquid must be boiled out of the milk and sugar mixture to form a thick syrup that will harden properly. Occasional stirring prevents the milk or sugar from burning, but it's crucial to stir gently to prevent the fudge from forming a grainy texture. Fudge made with either of the canned milks will be a much simpler and quicker preparation. Whether there's any great difference in taste is up for debate.