Easy malted milk fudge in its finished state.

Easy Malted Milk Fudge Recipe: An Easy English-Inspired Treat

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Hello and welcome to my Cotswold Kitchen Mom blog. Today on the blog, I will be teaching you how to make my easy malted milk fudge recipe. This simple recipe is a delicious treat that is sure to be enjoyed by people of all ages and in all stages. Afterall, what is not to love about sugar, chocolate, and malted milk Maltesers from England?

In this post you will discover how simple ingredients (inspired by simple things in life), and time with loved ones, can be used to create a decadent result. Please join me and my family as we head into the kitchen to make a heart-warming dessert: English-inspired malted milk fudge.

Let’s head to the kitchen now, shall we?

~Finding Beauty in the Simple Things, Like An Easy Malted Milk Fudge Recipe~

The older I become, the more I enjoy the simple things in life…a kiss on the cheek from a little one, a breathtaking rainbow in the sky, a kind smile, a piece of good chocolate, a mug of coffee- enjoyed in peace, a fuzzy pink bathrobe, a cuppa tea with my husband after a long day of parenting…

Ahh, the uncomplicated simplicity of the little blessings in life. These simple things are in part, the inspiration for my easy malted milk fudge recipe. As you read along- you will see why.

~English Chocolate: The Galaxy Chocolate Bar Inspiration~

As I have mentioned in a previous post, one of my favorite things to do while living in England, was to go for a walk and get a hot drink in a charming café -or pop into the local Morrisons, Tesco, or Co-op and get my favorite treats. These special treats were generally only a pound! Bargain!

I almost always chose a chocolate bar called Galaxy Chocolate. It was so scrumptious and smooth- my favorite chocolate of all time! Of course, living in England I was able to enjoy this treat regularly, but in America it is not readily available on the store shelves.

My thoughtful sister-in-law and nieces recently went on an international trip. They had a stopover in Europe and they, ever so kindly, brought me back some Galaxy chocolate.  I was so excited! 

When I tasted the Galaxy chocolate… after not having had it for so long, I immediately thought of a malt milkshake. 

Then the idea hit me. Why not take a favorite old fashioned fudge recipe and add malt powder to it? My goal was to see if I could re-create a taste of the Galaxy chocolate bar I enjoyed so much.

Incidentally, I also thought it would be fun to add some chopped Maltesers to the top. Maltesers are England’s form of a Whopper. It too, is a very smooth chocolate with a malted-milk center.

Easy Malted milk fudge on a metal tray
*My malted milk fudge looks expensive on my thrifted finds. Shh, don't tell but I only paid a few dollars for this beautiful serving dish- and a casserole dish server- that is now acting as a tray to serve my malted milk fudge on.

Easy Malted Milk Fudge Recipe:

Easy malted milk fudge in its finished state.
Elizabeth

Malted Milk Fudge

Malted milk fudge is a delicious recipe inspired by my love for English chocolate. And old-fashioned fudge recipe that incorporates malted milk powder and Maltesers malted milk ball candies. This treat is made for sharing.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: English
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • ½ Cup Pure Cocoa Powder
  • ½ cup 2 Percent Milk
  • ½ cup Half & Half
  • 2 Tbsp Malted Milk Powder
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter Sliced and room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 small bag Maltesers Candy *Maltesers malted milk balls are from England. If you cannot find these, the American version is called Whoppers.

Method
 

  1. Butter and line (with parchment paper) an 8 X 8 glass dish or pan. Set aside for later use.
  2. Roughly chop the Malteser candy and set aside. (This will be the topping to the fudge.)
  3. In a heavy bottom saucepan, add sugar, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder. Stir dry ingredients together.
  4. Add milk and half &half to the saucepan as well. Gently stir ingredients together.
  5. On medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil (stirring constantly). Note: once the boil is reached, turn the temperature to low. Clip a candy thermometer on to the side of the pan- but do not allow the thermometer to touch the bottom of the pan- as this can give a false temperature reading.
  6. Leave the fudge to simmer on low heat without stirring.
  7. Allow the fudge to reach 238℉ (the soft boil stage).
  8. Remove the pan from heat and allow the fudge to sit until the fudge cools down to 115℉. (This will take approximately 45 minutes.)
  9. Add the soft butter slices and the vanilla. Gently fold the butter and vanilla into the cooling fudge- until just combined.
  10. Stir/whip the fudge quickly and vigorously with a wooden spoon – until the fudge's surface loses its shine. (This step takes some serious muscle but don't give up. The fudge will begin to thicken and become matte.) *If you are struggling to lose the shine, you can try an electric hand mixer to help this process.
  11. Add fudge to your prepared dish/pan. Immediately add the chopped Malteser candy to the top of the fudge (gently pushing into the fudge).
  12. Allow to cool completly and slice into individual bite-sized squares for serving.

Notes

*If you cannot find Malteser candy- you can use Whoppers as a close substitute. 
*Make sure to whip the fudge until thick and not shiny. This will allow you to achieve the correct texture. 
*Store leftovers in an airtight container.

How to Make Malted Milk Fudge (in Photo Format):

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. I agree, so follow along with my fudge making seps- while also enjoying my original photography.

Easy malted milk fudge ingredients placed on the kitchen countertop.
*All my fudge ingredients placed on the countertop for easy access. Organization is important when making any type of food.
Sugar and Cocoa powder in a pot to make easy malted milk fudge.
*The sugar, the malted milk, and the cocoa powder are placed into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Cocoa powder, sugar, and milk combine to create the easy malted milk fudge base.
*The dry ingredients are stirred, and the dairy ingredients are added. Note: The chocolate mixture will be dry and bubbly at first but will begin to combine as it heats up.
Cooking in the kitchen with children teaches them valuable skills. My daughter is helping me to stir the malted milk fudge as it cooks.
*Enjoying the time spent with my oldest daughter in the kitchen as part of another homeschool cooking lesson. I know her hand will not always be so small.
Easy Malted milk fudge simmering on stovetop
*Candy thermometers are a handy tool indeed. In fact, for this recipe they are necessary.

Adding the Butter and Whipping the Fudge:

Butter is added to the cooled malted milk fudge.
*Sliced, room temperature butter is easier to melt into the partially cooled fudge. The fat of the butter adds a rich, smooth flavor to the candy.
The shiny malted milk fudge is ready to be whipped.
*Once the butter is incorporated into the chocolate, the fudge will become very shiny and wet looking.
My easy malted milk fudge recipe is cooling before being whipped.
*The fudge now needs to cool (unstirred) until it reaches 115 degrees F. Now you must whip the chocolate mixture. This step requires some serious muscle- if whipping by hand.
The malted milk fudge is slowly losing its sheen.
*As you whip air into the fudge (this can be done by hand with a wooden spoon or with an electric hand-held mixer), the fudge will begin to lose some of its shine. Keep whipping!
Easy malted milk fudge requires some muscle to whip to perfection.
*Notice the progression of each photo: the fudge begins to thicken and become less and less shiny. This is what you want to see.
*The malted milk fudge is almost ready now. The aim is for the fudge to lose all sheen and become matte.
Malted milk fudge should be matte before allowing to completely cool.
*See the middle of the fudge? This matte texture is what you are going for. Maybe a whip or two more and you are ready to pour.

Final Step: Adding the Maltesers to the Top of the Fudge:

Chopped English Maltesers candy
*Chopping the Maltesers in half helps the candy to rest on the top of the fudge (as opposed to rolling off). You can chop the candy as fine as you like but I find in half works well.
Easy malted milk fudge in its finished state.
*Lightly press the Maltesers into the fudge top while it is still warm. Allow the fudge to further cool before slicing and serving.

Frequently Asked Questions About Malted Milk Fudge:

1. Can I use unsalted butter in this malted milk fudge recipe?

Yes, you can use unsalted butter if you prefer. However, the salt helps the chocolate flavor to stand out so you may want to add a sprinkle of the salt to your dry ingredients if using unsalted butter. Coffee can also enhance the flavor of chocolate so you could try adding a 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients as well for a slight recipe twist.

2. Do I have to pay close attention to the cooking and cooling temperatures in this recipe?

Yes, paying attention to the cooking and cooling times of this recipe is mandatory for its success. The fudge must first simmer until it reaches the soft ball stage. This ensures the fudge will properly set. Too long- and the fudge may burn and become dry and crumbly. On the other hand, not cooking the fudge for long enough may result in a sticky fudge that never properly sets.

Also, the cooling time is important. Allowing the fudge to cool to 115 degrees F (undisturbed) is equally as important. This allows the sugar crystals to form. If the mixture is too hot (before whipping) the sugar crystals will not be ready and this will result in a rough, grainy, sticky, or crumbly texture.

3. Why is my fudge still shiny?

Potentially the fudge is still shiny because it was not cooked to the proper temperature. Or perhaps too much liquid was added to the recipe. This means the sugar crystals have not properly formed. My easy malted milk fudge recipe needs to be followed closely for optimal results. 

If you find your fudge recipe is shiny, you can try to reheat the fudge until it is smooth and creamy again and then try to whip a second time. Paying close attention to the temperatures. 

This recipe takes a bit of patience and can take a little practice for results to be consistent.

4. If I cannot find Maltesers in America, what other topping can I use?

Maltesers can sometimes be found at Publix, Walmart, Amazon, and Target. If you cannot find any in your local stores, you can also use Whoppers (malted milk balls). While slightly different, they are a similar taste (and texture) to the original Maltesers candy from England.

You could also experiment with other chocolate candies like mini-M&Ms or malted milk easter eggs (if they are in season).

5. How do I store leftover malted milk fudge?

Malted milk fudge can be stored at room temperature- or in the refrigerator. I like to store my fudge wrapped in parchment paper first- and then place it in a Ziplock bag or an airtight container. The Maltesers will eventually go soft, but I do not mind that as their malty flavor is still present with, or without, the iconic malted milk ball crunch. 

Note: You do not want the fudge to become too hot or be stored in a very humid environment, as this will make the fudge sticky.

6. What can be served alongside easy malted milk fudge?

Why, I am so glad you asked! My favorite thing (aside from a tall glass of ice-cold milk) to serve with my malted milk fudge recipe is my iced coffee with golden syrup (which is garnished with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of my double chocolate coffee beans). If you would like to see those recipes, see my summer coffee recipes post here.

Malted milk fudge, iced coffee-served in an English, vintage- inspired way.
*A tray filled with chocolate fudge- who could resist?

Final Thoughts Until Next Time:

That brings us to the end of my easy malted milk fudge recipe post, I hope you all learned something new. If this post inspires you to make your own batch of my easy malted milk fudge, I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.

For more English inspired recipes- see my page on traditional English foods for more inspiration. In fact, I will recommend an English chocolate recipe here: my chocolate orange cake. 

Please do subscribe to my blog and share my posts with those you think may enjoy as well. Subscribing is free and it helps keep you up to date with my newest posts. For more ideas and inspirations (based on my time spent in England and my life in America), please visit my Facebook and Pinterest pages. As always, tune in soon to read more.

Thank you for your support. Until next time…

~Elizabeth~

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