Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
Salted Caramel Fudge
This salted caramel fudge is rich, creamy, and has just the right hit of salt to balance the sweetness. I make it with a simple stovetop method and a few pantry staples, and it always turns out smooth and indulgent. Perfect for gifting, holiday treats, or sneaky fridge snacks, it keeps beautifully and never lasts long in my kitchen. If you’re after an easy homemade fudge recipe with big flavour, this one’s a guaranteed favourite.
Ingredients
- 395g sweetened condensed milk
- 225g brown sugar
- 125g butter, unsalted
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp Maldon sea salt flakes
- 150g white cooking chocolate
Instructions
- Line a slice tray with baking paper and set aside.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, golden syrup and sea salt flakes to a large, heavy-based saucepan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the caramel is thick, golden brown and beginning to pull away from the sides of the saucepan.
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the white cooking chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the fudge mixture is smooth.
- Pour the fudge into the prepared tray and spread into an even layer.
- Refrigerate until completely set.
- Once set, lift the fudge from the tray using the baking paper and cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Serve.
Notes
- Use a large, heavy-based saucepan for this recipe. The mixture becomes extremely hot and bubbles considerably as it cooks, while a heavy base helps prevent the caramel catching.
- Keep the heat low during the first stage. The butter needs to melt and the sugar begin dissolving before you increase the temperature.
- Once the heat is increased, stir continuously. Condensed milk and sugar can catch very quickly on the bottom of the saucepan if left unattended.
- The 10-minute cooking time is a guide. The more important sign is the texture. The mixture should become noticeably thicker, deepen to a golden caramel colour and begin pulling away from the sides of the saucepan as you stir.
- Make sure you scrape across the base and into the corners of the saucepan while stirring so no patches of caramel are allowed to burn.
- Have the white chocolate measured and ready before you start cooking. Once the caramel reaches the right consistency, you'll want to remove it from the heat and stir the chocolate through straight away.
- The white chocolate helps the fudge set and gives it a smooth, creamy texture. Make sure it's completely melted before transferring the mixture to the tray.
- Don't worry if the fudge is still quite soft when first poured into the tray. It will firm considerably as it cools and chills.
- For neat slices, allow the fudge to set completely before cutting. A large sharp knife works best, and wiping the blade between cuts will keep the edges cleaner.
- Cut the fudge into fairly small pieces. It's rich, sweet and salty, so a little goes a long way.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving if you prefer a softer texture.
- The fudge can be frozen for up to 3 months. Separate the layers with baking paper and defrost in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
50Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Serve this with
- Pair with garlic bread or cheesy focaccia for mopping up every last bit of tomato, olive, and caper sauce.
- Serve with creamy Parmesan polenta to soak up the rich puttanesca sauce, plus plenty of fresh basil on top.
- Add a simple rocket and Parmesan salad with lemon dressing for something fresh, peppery, and crisp alongside.
Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
Stir! Stir! And Stir Some More!
Salted Caramel Fudge is one of those recipes that’s packed with memories and just the right amount of effort to make it feel worth it. It all started with Mum’s caramel shortbread – no chocolate top like the usual millionaire’s shortbread, just thick, golden caramel poured straight onto a buttery shortbread base. Whenever we were celebrating something, that shortbread would appear, and there I’d be, standing on a dining chair at the stove, stirring the bubbling caramel like it was the most important job in the world. And honestly? At the time, it was because it meant I got to lick the spoon!
I’d stir and stir for what felt like forever (realistically, about eight minutes), and then came the best bit – licking the spoon and scraping the pot clean – worth the sore arm every single time! These days, rather than a giant stainless-steel pot like my mums, I prefer a non-stick pot as it makes life easier, and you won’t spend half your evening scrubbing caramel off your saucepan. Trust me, it’s worth it.
When I first started playing around with fudge, salted caramel was the obvious first flavour to tru. I used Mum’s caramel as the base and fiddled with the recipe until it had the texture just right – rich, smooth, with the perfect touch of salt to balance the sweetness. I’d like to think I didn’t steal my mum’s recipe, I simply elevated it… yeah, that’s right!
From Brisbane to the Hills
When I was a kid, my parents and I would often head off on drives through the countryside or into the mountains, winding our way through tiny towns with names I can’t even remember now. And without fail, every single one of them seemed to have a little fudge shop tucked away somewhere – usually filled with shelves of exotic flavours and some pretty eye-watering prices. I always loved wandering through them, wide-eyed at all the options, but now that I’m older, I can’t help but think… why bother?
In fact, a few years back, before I moved to the UK, I would make massive batches of fudge and sell little bags to my workmates for $2 each. Salted caramel, dark chocolate, rosewater and pistachio – and not just at Christmas, but all year round. It was simple and delicious, and it made the workday just that bit sweeter.
And all it really takes is a quick trip to Coles and a bit of stirring. And let’s be honest, the kitchen smells incredible while it’s cooking. It’s one of those small things that makes the day feel a bit special – and no winding mountain roads required.
Frequently asked questions
Why has my fudge turned grainy?
Grainy fudge usually means some of the sugar has crystallised rather than dissolving smoothly into the caramel. Keep the heat low at the beginning so the sugar has time to dissolve, then avoid letting dried sugar crystals build up around the sides of the saucepan. Continuous stirring once the heat is increased also helps keep the mixture smooth.
Can I use regular white chocolate instead of white cooking chocolate?
You can, but cooking chocolate is generally more reliable here because it’s designed to melt smoothly and behave consistently when heated. Regular eating chocolate can vary quite a bit in cocoa butter and milk content, which may affect how firmly the fudge sets.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Yes, but reduce the Maldon sea salt flakes slightly to compensate. Unsalted butter gives you more control over the balance between sweet and salty, which is particularly useful in a salted caramel recipe where that contrast is part of the finished flavour.
Ingredient breakdown
Sweetened condensed milk
Sweetened condensed milk forms the creamy base of the fudge and provides both sweetness and body. As it cooks with the sugar, butter and golden syrup, it thickens into a rich caramel before the white chocolate is added to help set the finished mixture.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar gives the fudge its deeper caramel flavour and colour. Its molasses content provides a richer result than white sugar would, helping create the distinctive warm caramel character of the finished fudge.
Unsalted butter
Butter adds richness and helps give the fudge its smooth, soft texture. Unsalted butter is used so you can control the final salt level precisely rather than relying on the variable salt content of salted butter.
Golden syrup
Golden syrup contributes sweetness while also helping create a softer, smoother caramel texture. Its distinctive flavour adds another layer of caramel depth without overpowering the brown sugar.
Maldon sea salt flakes
Sea salt balances the sweetness of the condensed milk, sugar and white chocolate and gives the fudge its salted caramel character. Maldon flakes work particularly well because their clean flavour disperses easily through the mixture without tasting harsh.
White cooking chocolate
White cooking chocolate helps the fudge set firmly once chilled while adding extra creaminess and sweetness. It goes in after the caramel has finished cooking so the residual heat can melt it gently without scorching the chocolate.
