If you love making fudge as much as I do, you will likely know how many times fudge tends to get stuck in glass pans.
As delicious as the end result is making fudge, it can be equally difficult to get it out from the pan.
In the end, if you are left with a huge chunk of fudge stuck to the pan that just cannot seem to come out, all hope is not lost.
There are certain tricks you can use to get this delicious fudge out of a glass pan.
However, more than that, there are some foolproof tips that you can follow which would prevent this from happening in the first place.
In this guide, we will look at all of that and more so you can have a seamless fudge-making process.
Get Stuck Fudge Out of Glass Pan
First and foremost, let’s discuss how you can get the fudge out if it is stuck in your glass pan.
There’s no best way to get out all the fudge from a Pyrex glass dish after you have refrigerated it.
Immerse Glass Pan in Hot Water
You can try immersing the dish in a bowl or tray of hot water. Make sure the water does not go in the fudge.
Let the dish rest in hot water for a few seconds; then flip it over on a plate or cookie paper, so the bottom of the pan is on the top.
By this time, your fudge will likely have come out. If not, you can try tapping the bottom of the pan lightly with a spoon.
You have to be patient with this process, leave the pan inverted for a while, and let gravity do its job.
Or, take a sharp knife and scrape the edges of the pan, much like how you do with jelly. Flip it over again on the plate and tap lightly with your hand or a spoon.
Hot Blow Dry the Bottom of the Pan
Another trick you can use to let the fudge out is to run a hot blow dryer on the bottom of the pan. This will heat the fudge and loosen it.
If that does not work either, then you will need to sacrifice a part of your fudge. Cut up and remove just enough so that you can work a spatula under the entire fudge batter and then pull it out.
Microwave the Glass Pan
In case your fudge won’t budge even after the above tricks, or if you don’t want to sacrifice your fudge, you can consider this other method.
Put the glass pan in the microwave. Before you do, make sure that yours is microwave safe; most Pyrex glass pans tend to be.
Heat the fudge for a few seconds until it becomes soft.
You can then scoop all of it out and start fresh by putting parchment paper, waxed paper, or foil.
Refrigerate the fudge again, and this time it will likely not stick to your pan.
How to Make the Perfect Fudge
Now that you know how to remove fudge from a glass pan, there are some things you can do to prevent this problem from occurring.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make the best fudge that will not stick to your pan or even your parchment paper.
Step 1: Prepare the Pan
By now, you might have understood the importance of having the right pan and greasing it when you make homemade fudge.
It is imperative that you line the entire pan with parchment paper, waxed paper, or foil.
The best choice out of these three is foil, as that guarantees your fudge won’t stick to it. However, in some cases, parchment and waxed paperwork well too.
Then, sufficiently grease the paper or foil with butter. This will also prevent the fudge from sticking to the pan.
Step 2: Cook the Fudge
Depending on the recipe, you will likely need to combine all of the ingredients in a pan and cook the fudge.
Make sure you have taken a nonstick pan for this process to prevent the fudge from burning or sticking.
Moreover, do not cook the fudge on high heat. It should ideally be cooked on medium heat.
Continue cooking your fudge until it reaches the soft-ball stage. This is an essential step in the process of making fudge.
It will likely reach this stage when it reaches the temperature of 234-238 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a thermometer to check this.
Step 3: Cool and Beat the Fudge
Now, you must let your fudge cool down till it reaches the temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once it does, beat the fudge vigorously until it stiffens.
By this point, you can also mix in other ingredients like chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or biscuits. Keep beating the fudge until it thickens and loses its gloss.
Step 4: Pour Fudge in the Pan
Now you can pour the fudge into the greased and lined pan.
Do not scrape the surface of the fudge; otherwise, it will lose its texture.
Step 5: Cool the Fudge
Cool the fudge in the refrigerator, and then take it out. Use the foil or the paper to pull out the fudge.
If you have sufficiently greased it with butter, it will likely come out easily. Remove the foil or paper and cut up your fudge into pieces.
Step 6: Wrap and Store the Fudge
This step is entirely dependent on how you want to serve your fudge. You can wrap individual pieces in plastic and store them in the fridge.
Or you can place the pieces in the fridge in a Tupperware box. However, wrapping would be a better idea since the pieces get moist and stick together.
Best Tips to Follow When Making Fudge
Here are some important foolproof tips that you can keep in mind when making your delicious homemade candies.
This will make the process easier and quicker and prevent the fudge from sticking to the paper or the glass pan.
Use a Heavy Saucepan with Tall Sides
Besides the pan is nonstick, you should also make sure that it has tall sides.
This is because the fudge boils for several minutes, and it may bubble up and spill out. The mess can be extremely hard to clean up.
The best pan to use is a stainless steel pan with tall sides.
Choose Wooden or Silicone Spoons and Spatulas
Wooden and silicone utensils are designed to withstand very high temperatures.
And since you have to cook the fudge on medium heat for so long, you can easily use these utensils and not worry about causing any damage.
Use a Candy Thermometer to Check Your Fudge’s Temperature
The best way to make foolproof fudge is to use not just any thermometer but a candy thermometer.
This provides accurate temperature, which is what you need when making fudge.
Keeping it at the perfect temperature will ensure that your fudge is not too stiff, grainy, or runny.
Also read: Best Pan For Making Candy
Use a Silicone Baking Mat
If you want your fudge to perfectly set and not stick to the glass pan or paper, we have mentioned that you will need to use foil and grease it with butter. This will ensure that you can easily pull out your fudge.
However, if you want to make that process even easier, you can use a silicone baking mat.
This is perfect since your fudge will slip right out with minimal effort.
But this mat will not provide you with the sharp edges of fudge that aluminum foil and glass pans do.
Spend Sufficient Time in Cooling the Fudge
We know how you just want to have a piece of your fudge now, but it is important that you sufficiently let your fudge rest.
This is because, otherwise, your fudge will be too grainy. In order to have silky and smooth fudge, you must let it cool.
Store Your Fudge Properly
The best way to store your fudge is to wrap each individual piece in wax paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap tightly.
Then place these pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can even leave your fudge out in a cool and dry place unless your recipe specifies otherwise.
Use the Best Ingredients for your Fudge
Another important consideration that will improve your fudge significantly is using top-of-the-line ingredients.
These will provide you with amazing fudge. For example, if you are a novice to fudge-making, you should know that corn syrup must add when making fudge.
Alternatively, marshmallows, nuts, and even crushed biscuits are interesting additions to amplify the taste of your fudge.
Don’t Scrape the Edges When Cooking Fudge
When you make fudge, one important thing to remember is that you should be mixing the fudge. Yet, at the same time, be sure not to scrape the edges.
Moreover, don’t stir the fudge throughout as that will crystallize the sugar. Stir your fudge only when it reaches boiling point.
Final Words
This was everything you need to know about fudge and how to remove it from your glass pan.
The key is to grease your pan sufficiently and use foil underneath. When you do this, your fudge will easily slip out.
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