Nandita Nataraj overcomes her fear of fudge with this lovely recipe that turns out both moist and chewy.
Text And Photo By Nandita Nataraj
Traditional fudge recipes have always intimidated me. Even though I have always loved coconut fudge, I had never tried making the traditional fudge before. It has always seemed to be a bit too sweet for my taste. And meddling with quantity of sugar can ruin the texture of the fudge. How ever, everything changed when I tasted this version of the coconut fudge at a friend’s place. I immidiately asked her for the recipe which she was glad to share.
I decided to make this at the next available opportunity. I followed the recipe verbatim without making any changes. Needless to say I was rewarded with wonderfully chewy and moist coconut fudge. The wonderful thing about the dish is, it uses some sparse ingredients, it is so simple to prepare and yet, it has the elegance of taste. 
Coconut Fudge
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 1" pieces 1x
Description
A moist and chewy coconut fudge, elegantly flavored with cardamom and saffron, perfect for a sweet indulgence.
Ingredients
- 5 cups (42 oz / 1.2 kg) fresh or frozen grated coconut
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) condensed milk
- 1/2 cup (4 oz / 120 ml) cream
- 6 cardamom pods, ground to a powder
- 1/4 tsp saffron strands
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) warm milk
- Clarified butter, for greasing
Instructions
- Grease a rimmed plate with clarified butter and set it aside.
- Add the saffron strands to the warm milk and crush them between your fingers to release the flavor and color.
- In a large pan, mix the grated coconut, condensed milk, and cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously.
- Once the mixture starts to thicken, add the cardamom powder and the saffron-infused milk. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and becomes a mass.
- Transfer the mixture to the greased plate and spread it evenly. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Once set, cut into 1-inch pieces and serve.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 120
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do the saffron and cardamom contribute to this fudge?
This is a South Indian-style coconut fudge, and the combination of 6 ground cardamom pods and 1/4 tsp saffron strands (bloomed in 1 tbsp warm milk) gives the fudge a floral, warmly spiced character distinct from Western candy-style fudge. The saffron also tints the finished pieces with a golden color.
How do I know when the fudge mixture is ready to come off the heat?
The key visual cue from the recipe: keep stirring the mixture of grated coconut, condensed milk, and cream over medium heat, and remove it from the heat when it leaves the sides of the pan and forms a cohesive mass. Transfer it immediately to the clarified-butter-greased plate and spread evenly to set.
Can I use frozen coconut instead of fresh?
The recipe calls for 5 cups of fresh or frozen grated coconut, so both are explicitly acceptable. The article describes this recipe as using “sparse ingredients” to deliver an elegant taste, so fresh coconut will give the most vivid flavor if you have access to it.
Wonderful fudge recipe
Thats a verhy nice recipe..its very common in costal mangalore areas. the recipe is lilittle twisted when we do it
This is great recipe