EASY MILK FUDGE

I grew up in an East Indian community in South Africa.  One of my favorite treats was an Indian milk sweet which we received during certain Indian festivals. This addictive creamy milk fudge is an adaptation of that Indian confection / sweet. Honestly, I believe that this sweet would be more popular except that the Indian name for this is "burfi"!  How unfortunate!  I've decided to call this a milk fudge.  It has very few ingredients and can be made in less than 10 minutes. The main ingredients are condensed milk and whole milk powder.

Tips for making easy milk fudge.

If you are lactose intolerant, this easy milk fudge can be made with lactose-free condensed milk and lactose free milk powder.

Condensed milk

When purchasing condensed milk, look at the ingedient list.  Condensed milk should only consist of milk and sugar. Nothing else, no palm oil or other fillers.

Milk powder

Although non-fat milk powder is more popular, I use whole milk powder for this fudge.  It tends to taste creamier.

Flavorings

Ground cardamom

The traditional burfi is made with ground cardamom.  I use freshly ground cardamom as the flavor and aroma is stronger.  Grind the cardamom seeds in a coffee grinder and sieve the powder to remove any large pieces before adding it to the fudge mixture.

Chocolate

I like creating a chocolate swirl so that the creamy, milky fudge is not lost with the chocolate flavor.  Add the chocolate chips at the end just before removing the fudge from the pan.  The latent heat from the milk fudge will be sufficient enough to melt the chocolate chips.

Freeze-dried strawberries

When I sourced ingredients for food manufacturers and bakeries, this was one product they used when moisture was an issue.  If you want to put fruit in breads and the fresh fruit or dried fruit are not an option, try using freeze-dried fruit.  Freeze-dried fruit are fruit that have been dried from a frozen state to a dried state without the thawing process.  Texture wise, this fruit tends to be super dehydrated and not rubbery.  The moisture from the fudge will soften the strawberries but the tart strawberry taste will be very evident.

Rose water

I enjoy having rose water in some desserts.  This milk fudge is one of them. Add the rose water just before removing from the stove.  You can also garnish the fudge with chopped organic, home grown rose petals.

Nuts

Coarsely chop your nuts to add to the mixture.  Nuts can also be sprinkled and pressed on the top as garnish.

Cooking the fudge

It is best to cook the ingredients on a thick-bottomed, non-stick saucepan that has room for the liquid to evaporate.  Do not burn or scald the milk.  Stir the mixture until it becomes thick and pulls away from the sides and has the texture of bread dough.  Remove the fudge and place it in a greased pan and, using the back of a silicone spatula, press the fudge until level.  Allow the milk fudge to cool for at least one hour before cutting.

If you've tried some unique flavors, please share them in the comment sections. Enjoy!