Baileys Chocolate Fudge Twist
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Velvety fudge made by melting chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk, then stirred through Irish cream and vanilla. Chilling solidifies it into rich, sliceable squares. A classic base modified by swapping Baileys for Kahlua, lending a coffee kick. Melt carefully, watching for glossy sheen and thick texture. Skip microwave nukes? Use double boiler. Stir often; burnt chocolate kills flavor fast. Parchment-lined pan eases removal. Rest your fudge well in fridge at least 2 hours until firm enough to slice. Sweet spot between creamy and chew. Few common hiccups: grainy fudge from overheating, too runny if mismeasured. Work quickly yet patiently. Outcome: soulful snack with adult punch, perfect for holiday trays or sneaky midnight treats.
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
2 min
Total:
Servings:
32 servings
#chocolate
#fudge
#Kahlua
#condensed milk
#dessert
#no bake
#coffee flavor
Melting chocolate and condensed milk isn’t just mixing—it’s coaxing smooth velvet from thick syrupy lumps. I’ve ruined batches by rushing the microwave or failing to stir properly. The secret: patience. Watch for the chocolate to shine like wet silk, not a dull puddle. Adding Kahlua instead of Baileys? A small rebellion, but the added coffee notes pull the fudge into a deep, rich territory. Vanilla? Sure, but keep it pure—flavorless synthetic extracts kill the delicate balance. Best when chilled cold enough to slice clean but not frozen hard. And parchment paper isn’t optional; it’s how you salvage a messy sticky endeavor. Over years, learned this fudge is more intuition than exact time. Listen to it, and yours will sing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 can 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup Kahlua Irish coffee liqueur
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Parchment paper for lining
About the ingredients
Chocolate chips need to be good quality semisweet or bittersweet—cheap chips dry the fudge out. Sweetened condensed milk adds creaminess and sweetness, don’t substitute with evaporated milk or regular milk unless you adjust sugar dramatically. Kahlua gives a coffee kick that Baileys doesn’t; feel free to experiment with other Irish cream substitutes but watch for consistency changes. Vanilla extract should be pure for authentic depth—not imitation. Parchment paper is a lifesaver for removal and cleanup; foil can sometimes stick. Keep the liquor measured just under a third of a cup; more means fudge won’t set properly and gets runny.
Method
- Line a loaf pan tightly with parchment paper, letting excess hang over sides for easy lift-out later. No shortcuts here.
- Microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 25-second bursts stirring vigorously after each. This stops scorching, ensures even melt.
- Look for glossy, thick mixture. It may seem too stiff at first, keep stirring. Should be lump-free before liquor.
- Quickly fold in the Kahlua and vanilla extract. At first mix will seem chunky, but liquor softens it to a creamy, pourable texture. Only use fresh liquor, rancid taste kills fudge.
- Pour mixture evenly into the prepared pan, scrape to level surface with a spatula. Tap pan lightly on counter to release air pockets.
- Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or until firmly set. Longer chill equals better sliceable fudge. Resist the urge to cut early, fudge will crumble.
- When set, lift fudge by parchment overhang and transfer to cutting board. Use a sharp knife warmed under hot water for clean slices.
- Store fudge in airtight container in fridge to maintain texture and flavor. Let sit at room temp 10 minutes before serving for best bite.
Cooking tips
Microwave heating’s tricky area. Don’t just set a timer and walk off. Chocolate can go from perfect melting smooth to grainy burnt swirls if you overheat. Stirring between short bursts is vital to distribute heat. The thick lumpiness before adding liquor is normal—liquor liquefies it. Don’t add liquor directly to hot chocolate mix or it may seize or separate. Spreading fudge into the pan evenly traps no air bubbles, prevents crumbly texture. Two hours chill is bare minimum; fudge continues firming after that. Cutting cold fudge cleanly means warming the blade first between cuts—cuts get ragged if knife’s cold or dry. Store correctly or fudge turns waxy or dry. This isn’t a quick set, but it’s worth that wait.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Stir chocolate and condensed milk after every short burst in microwave. Hot spots burn easily; glossy thick mix signals near melt. Don’t skip stirring or burn ruins batch fast.
- 💡 Pour liquor and vanilla only when mix is smooth but still warm—not hot. Too hot vaporizes flavor, too cold means clumpy fudge. Fold gently; chunks smooth out after waiting short time.
- 💡 Use double boiler if impatient or wary of microwave nukes. Water steam temp won’t scorch, but slow stirring needed. Watch sheen closely; fudge thickens quickly. Take off heat just before full melt.
- 💡 Parchment paper lined pan critical—fudge sticks to foil, tears on removal. Excess paper sides help lift entire slab in one go. Skip this and slicing turns sticky nightmare. No parchment, use silicone molds.
- 💡 Cut fudge with knife warmed in hot water. Cold blade drags chunks; warm one cleans through easily. Wipe blade between cuts or residue builds, fudge pulls uneven. Chill minimum 2 hours; less equals crumbly slices.
Common questions
Why grainy fudge?
Overheat chocolate or too fast microwave bursts. Stirring missed spots create burnt crystallization. Slow heat necessary. Also liquor temperature effect—add too hot, seize happens.
Can Baileys be swapped?
Kahlua works well for coffee taste. Other Irish creams vary fat content; fudge texture changes. If substitute, reduce liquor slightly or fudge risks not setting and gets too soft.
What if fudge is too runny?
Usually too much liquor or condensed milk not measured right. Chill longer if just soft, or remelt and add tiny more chocolate if fix needed. Sometimes just fridge temp too warm.
How to store fudge?
Airtight container best. Fridge extends texture life but can toughen edges. Room temp short term ok, but softness rises. Freezing risks crumbly texture. Let warm slightly before serving.
