Pecan Ice Cream Balls Recipe with Hot Fudge Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Does hot fudge melt ice cream? ›

Hot fudge is, well, hot!

This is not a genius observation by any means, but hot fudge starts melting the ice cream way too quickly, turning the sundae into a soupy mess. That nice contrast of warm and cold is gone.

If the butter gets too hot, it can separate, causing the fudge to become oily on top. This is easy to prevent by monitoring the temperature with a candy thermometer, but separated fudge can also be fixed. To fix oily, hard or grainy fudge, scoop the fudge back into a pot with about a cup of water.

Cream or milk, sugar, and butter are slowly boiled down until slightly thickened and light caramel-colored. This boiling-down process not only gives the sauce it's great gooey texture, but also contributes that special “fudgey” taste to the chocolate.

Ingredients: Hot fudge sauce is typically made with chocolate, sugar, butter, and cream or milk, while chocolate syrup is made with cocoa powder, sugar, and water or milk. Consistency: Hot fudge sauce has a thicker and creamier consistency than chocolate syrup, which tends to be thinner and more liquidy.

The main difference is the texture. Hot fudge is thicker and more rich while chocolate sauce is thinner and more pourable. Chocolate sauce stays sauce in the refrigerator, while hot fudge gets cold and thick…like fudge.

Storage: This is just fine kept at room temp for a day, but if you are going to keep it overnight or for an extended period of time, pop it in the fridge and just reheat in the microwave.

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Don't worry too much if you don't have whole milk or heavy cream. Nearly any milk will work, and you can substitute half-and-half for the cream. Ideally you want ingredients with a high fat content because these will create a creamy texture when cooled.

If you have ever made ice cream, you already know what goes into it, ingredients such as milk, cream, and sugar. But there is one main ingredient that you may not have thought about, probably because you can't see it—air.

It's the easiest recipe and the best one to start with if you're new to homemade ice cream. This ice cream is best to make with heavy whipping cream with 36% to 40% fat content. The second recipe works even if you do not have heavy whipping cream. I make an egg-free custard with cornstarch and sugar.

What's the difference between fudge and hot fudge? ›

Hot fudge is made by boiling together cream, sugar, chocolate, and sometimes butter—the traditional ingredients for fudge—into what is essentially just an undercooked, unset version of the confection. It differs from plain old chocolate sauce by virtue of being gooier and more viscous.

The fudge is ready when a candy thermometer reads between 112°C to 114°C (234°F to 237°F) or the mixture forms a soft ball in cold water.

Be sure to serve warm, and, when reheating, reheat only the amount of sauce you intend to use; repeated heating and chilling can make the sauce grainy.

Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F). The cooking is intended to evaporate a part of the liquid and concentrate the sugar. The temperature of the cream/sugar mixture (called syrup) rises as water evaporates.

There are two main reasons. First, we use ingredients not prone to melting. Specifically, we use heavy cream instead of butter. Second, we slice our fudge while still warm so that each slice forms a firm outer shell.

Storing fudge in an airtight container is your best bet. Cut the fudge, and then store it in separate layers with waxed paper in between.

When your fudge reaches 236–238 degrees F/113–114 degrees C, it's done; you should remove the pan from the heat so it won't continue to cook. If your recipe calls for adding butter, you can place it on top of the fudge now so it can start melting, but do not stir.