A. If you have a different power microwave do not worry. For lower power microwaves, you may need to heat the mix for an extra 30 seconds and for higher power microwaves you may need 30 seconds less. So long as you do not boil or burn the fudge you will not have a problem. [top]

Q. I do not have a microwave, can I still make the fudge?

A. NO MICROWAVE, NO PROBLEM. You can make this fudge on the hob. Simply warm the mixes through on a very low heat stirring constantly. YOU MUST NOT BOIL THE FUDGE. [top]

Q. Does it matter if I use salted butter?

A. For all recipes use salted or unsalted butter. [top]

Q. Can I use vegetable fats?

A. DO NOT USE vegetable fat or blended butters. [top]

Q. Some of the mixes have lumps in – is that OK?

A. Do not be alarmed if the caramel mix has some lumps of sugar in it. These sometimes form as the mix is packed and they can be broken up with a fork. [top]

Q. I want to store the fudge – how do I wrap it?

A. Do not seal the fudge in an airtight container!! There are no preservatives in the fudge mix and the fudge could grow a mould if it is sealed from the air (this is similar to the top of a jam jar). [top]

Q. Can I make a softer or harder fudge?

A. The fudge should be quite hard. If you like a soft fudge, simply add an extra teaspoon of water to the mix. [top]

Q. My fudge has dried out – can I re-use it?

A. You should never need to throw this fudge away. Even if it dries out over time, simply cut it up and put it in the microwave on a gentle heat for 30 seconds at a time, stir it every time you remove it from the microwave and repeat this process until it is smooth. If the fudge was very hard, you should add an extra teaspoon of water for every 400g of fudge. [top]

Q. How do I box the fudge?

A. If you are cutting the fudge and putting it in a gift box, you should line the box first with a piece of baking parchment paper so that the fudge does not stain the box. [top]

Q. Does fudge need to be refrigerated?

A. The fudge is best served at room temperature, it does not need to be refrigerated. [top]

Q. Is the fudge gluten free?

A. All basic fudge mixes are GLUTEN FREE (so is the Fudge Pie Mix). Note that brownies, cookies and pecan pie are NOT gluten free. [top]

Q. When should I make my fudge and how long will it keep?

A. Fudge made with Calico mixes simply dries out over time and becomes harder. We do not recommend leaving it in airtight containers because it is a fresh product and does not include a preservative which would prevent mould growth such as that seen on jam from time to time. If we used a preservative, you could seal it tight, prevent any moisture loss and get many months shelf life.

If you make the fudge and it becomes too hard, you can always re-melt it and add a teaspoon of water - it will be as good as new!

How long the fudge lasts depends on how much water you use when making it, how hot the mix gets in the microwave and whether you like hard or soft fudge. That in itself is not particularly useful as I am sure that you want to know how far in advance to make the fudge.

I would suggest that you do not make it much more than a couple of weeks before you want to box it in which case I would try to have it consumed within a week or so after boxing. Equally you could make it today, box it tomorrow and it would remain fine for three weeks quite comfortably.

If I were bagging the fudge as a gift, I would make the fudge up to two weeks in advance and bag it a day or so before giving the gift. Don't seal the bags too tightly.

Having said all that, if you leave fudge in a box for six weeks, it would still be perfectly edible - it just may not taste as great but we do have people who prefer it like this, especially the caramel! If you know you need a few more weeks shelf life, you can always add an extra teaspoon of water when making the fudge - this will allow it to dry out over a longer period of time - perhaps giving it an extra couple of weeks before getting too hard.

As a last thought, the fudge genuinely takes five minutes to make, and sets quite quickly. Unless you are sending the fudge away as a present, I would always leave it until as late as possible to make so that your fudge is as fresh as it can be and tastes great! You can always call Calico if you have any questions or something specific that you need help with. Please don't struggle alone. [top]