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Original post published February 29th, 2020. Last updated on December 30th, 2023.
A recipe for clotted cream fudge, a traditional British style fudge made from clotted cream, golden syrup, and unrefined caster sugar. Delicious, easy to make, and ideal for gifting!
What Is Clotted Cream Fudge?
I first tasted clotted cream fudge years ago, during a visit to Chipping Campden, a tiny village in the Cotswolds. I picked up a box in a tourist shop, thinking that it would taste like the American fudge I’d loved since childhood. Turns out that the two are not quite the same, but they’re still equally delicious.
Denser and sometimes a bit more crumbly than its American counterpart, British fudge comes in dozens of flavors, and is frequently found in gift shops and at outdoor markets and street fairs. (If you’re curious, National Geographic has an interesting article about the history of this fudgy confection in both the US and UK.)
Making Clotted Cream Fudge
While I’ve never tried a British fudge flavor that I didn’t like, the clotted cream variety is by far my favorite. In a pinch, even UK grocery stores like Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer sell packaged clotted cream fudge (and it’s generally pretty good!), but nothing beats the homemade stuff.
This clotted cream fudge recipe is not difficult to make, but you do need to pay very close attention to temperatures. If you do not cook your fudge mixture long enough, you’ll have fudge sauce instead. On the flip side, cook it too long and you’ll find yourself with a batch of toffee or hard candy, rather than soft fudge.
If you haven’t made your own fudge before, don’t feel frustrated if the first batch doesn’t turn out perfectly. It can take a trial run or two to truly get the hang of things!
Clotted Cream Fudge Tips & Tricks
You will need a candy thermometer. Do not attempt this recipe without one! My tried-and-true favorite is this waterproof digital thermometer by Taylor Precision Products.
You’ll also need a clean, sharp chef’s knife for cutting the fudge. (You could also use a guitar cutter or a multi cutter, but a knife will do the trick just fine.)
I suggest using a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot to cook the fudge mixture. Opt for stainless steel, rather than a pot with nonstick coating. Also make sure to choose a pot with a lid.
As written, this recipe makes 36 squares of fudge, each about 1 1/4 inches square. The squares will not be overly thick (they should be approximately 1/2-inch thickness) if made in an 8 x 8 tin; for super thick fudge, use a slightly smaller tin and adjust the setting time as needed.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Fudge will keep for up to two weeks when stored in an airtight container between layers of wax paper or parchment.
For gifting, wrap each square individually in parchment. I suggest buying pre-cut parchment wrappers to help speed the process along, but you can also cut your own squares from a roll of parchment.
Be careful with where and how you store your clotted cream fudge. If placed in a cabinet next to foods with strong smells (onions, spices), the candy will absorb the tastes/odors of whatever is nearby. I made the mistake of storing my fudge next to a bag of coffee, and soon found myself with coffee-flavored fudge.
Notes on Ingredients
With just four ingredients (plus a pinch of salt!) it’s important to avoid substitutions if possible.
I made this clotted cream fudge using Billington’s golden caster sugar (both the traditional and unrefined versions will work equally well), Rodda’s clotted cream, Lyle’s golden syrup, and Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste.
If you’re in the United States, these staple British ingredients can be difficult to source. I suggest purchasing from Amazon, or a British shop like Myers of Keswick in NYC. You might also find some of what you need in the international aisle of a larger grocery store.
Fudge Temperatures
It’s important to use a thermometer for this recipe rather than trying to “eyeball” or guess, because the temperature is crucial. If you don’t cook the mixture long enough, or to a high enough temperature, the fudge will not set. On the other hand, if you cook it to too high a heat, the fudge will be too hard.
When using your digital thermometer to check the temperature, be careful not to touch the bottom of the pan with the probe. This can lead to a false reading, as the metal bottom is the hottest part of the pan.
Other candy recipes you might enjoy:
Old-Fashioned Hard Candy
Strawberry Marshmallows
Sea Salt Apple Cider Caramels
Tie-Dye Peppermints
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Clotted Cream Fudge
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 36 1 1/4-inch squares 1x
Description
A traditional British clotted cream fudge recipe made with clotted cream, golden syrup, and golden caster sugar. Delicious, easy to make, and ideal for gifting!
Ingredients
275 grams unrefined caster sugar, such as Billington’s (1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons)
220 grams clotted cream (1 cup)
105 grams golden syrup (1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Pinch fine sea salt
Butter, for greasing tin
Instructions
Butter an 8×8-inch / 20×20-centimeter tin, and line with baking parchment.
Combine the golden caster sugar, clotted cream, golden syrup, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a large metal saucepan or stock pot.
Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring gently until everything dissolves.
Bring to a low boil, then cover pan with a lid and boil for three minutes.
Remove the lid and continue boiling, without stirring, until the temperature reaches soft ball stage (about 116° C / 240° F). Use a digital thermometer to ensure that the proper temperature is reached, or the fudge won’t set properly.
Remove mixture from heat.
Whisk until mixture becomes thick, matte, and lighter in color, about 8-10 minutes. (You will feel the mixture thicken as it cools.)
Pour mixture into prepared tin.
Allow to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until fudge is set and bottom of tin is completely cool.
Use the edges of the parchment lining to gently lift the fudge slab from the tin. Transfer to a cutting board.
With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the slab into squares. I cut mine into 6 rows of 6, for a total of 36 squares.
Wrap fudge in squares of parchment, or layer between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe! My favorite is this waterproof digital thermometer by Taylor Precision Products.
Clotted cream fudge recipe loosely adapted from BBC Good Food and Rodda’s Clotted Cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Setting Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Hi is it a soft and smooth fuge im not a fan of crumbly or grainy fuge but I would like to give it a go looks nice
This is a British-style fudge, so it is a bit more on the crumbly side!
Made this with soft brown sugar and it came out as treacle toffee- cracked a tooth on it. Never again !
I’m sorry things didn’t go as expected. I’d definitely stick with caster sugar rather than brown sugar for this recipe. Also, it sounds like the temperature might’ve been an issue–if your sugar is cooked too long or at too high a temperature, it will turn into hard candy instead! Always keep a good, calibrated probe/thermometer nearby so you can check your temps along the way. For particularly finicky recipes, I actually double-check myself with two (and sometimes three) thermometers!