In the Thick of It

• To say that fudge thickens as it sits is partially accurate, but it's not the whole story. The ideal fudge consistency comes from a combination of heating, cooling, and beating or stirring. Follow your recipe and cook the fudge until it reaches the right temperature, as read by a candy thermometer. Then remove it from the heat and leave it alone until it is just lukewarm. Start stirring it with a spoon when it is lower than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that it stays smooth and creamy. Continue beating it until the glossy appearance diminishes and it gets thicker. After the gloss is gone, it will start to harden. This is when you pour it into a pan to allow it to finish hardening.

Room for Error

• It's not uncommon for novice fudge makers to mess up the timing, but all is not lost in these situations. If your fudge stays grainy or fails to harden, put it back into a clean pot with a little hot water and cook it again until it reaches the desired temperature. Use roughly half the amount of hot water as the amount of liquid that is in the original recipe. Then repeat the process and try to get the timing right.

Preparation

• Preparation is key to getting fudge to thicken and reach the right consistency. Measure all of your ingredients ahead of time, and keep spoons, saucepans and other equipment ready to go so you won't have to delay the process as you search for them. Use a recipe that has a proven track record of success, and follow it exactly.

Variations

• When you've mastered the thickening stage and have the brownie-making process down, experiment with variations. Add nuts, marshmallows, raisins or grated coconut just before you pour it out into a pan to harden. Incorporate less-typical ingredients, such as instant coffee or peanut butter, or come up with your own creations.