Root Beer Float Fudge. Seriously….why not?
Although this may be the most tooth-achingly sweet treat I have ever encountered, it’s delicious uniqueness and utter whimsical quality make it a one-in-a-million treat this holiday season.
I was astounded at how truly root-beer-floatish this confection tasted! I’ll admit, fudge doesn’t rank that high up on my favorites list (I know, the shame!), but I quite enjoyed this terrific variation. And my husband and kids? Well, let’s just say that root beer float fudge has never seen such devoted fans.
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Root Beer Float Fudge
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version
*Makes one 9-inch square slab o’ fudge
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups (2 pounds) sugar
1/2 cup (6 ounces) light corn syrup
1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons root beer extract/flavoring
2 1/2 cups (4 ounces) mini marshmallows
DIRECTIONS:
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream, milk and salt. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture reaches 236 degree F on the thermometer. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla and root beer extracts.
Pour the mixture into a 9X13-inch baking pan (you’ll be mixing it again later). Leave the pan undisturbed to cool at room temperature for about an hour. (Do not stir during this step or the fudge can turn to sugar.)
When cool enough, pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and mix on medium speed or by hand using a wooden spoon. If using a mixer, it will require approximately 3 minutes of mixing. Mixing by hand will take about 6 minutes. When the fudge begins to lighten in color, lose a bit of it’s shine and thicken slightly, stir in the mini marshmallows and stop mixing.
Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, pour in the mixture, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Allow the fudge to set and crystallize for 1 hour or longer at room temperature. It will lighten in color as it cools. Cut into desired pieces and serve. The fudge should be stored tightly covered at room temperature or refrigerated tightly sealed for longer storage.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Chocolates and Confections from the Culinary Institute of America
Step-by-Step Photos:
Stir together the ingredients, except the extracts, in a saucepan. Two pounds of sugar takes a while to dissolve. Don’t stress.
It will start looking smooth and combined.
Start cooking the fudge, stirring constantly.
Keep going. It will bubble and foam so make sure you are using a large enough pot to accommodate the bubblage.
Take it off the heat when your candy thermometer registers 236 degrees F.
Pour in the root beer and vanilla extracts.
Stir ‘em up.
Pour the mixture into a 9X13-inch pan and let it cool undisturbed. Don’t touch it, in other words.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir it with a wooden spoon or beat it with a mixer.
Keep going until the mixture is lighter in color and has thickened slightly and lost some of it’s shine.
The mixture is ready for the marshmallows.
Pour them in.
Stir them up.
Prepare your buttered pan if you haven’t already…
…and pour in the fudge.
Let it cool to room temperature. It will lighten in color. Cut into pieces and serve!
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
this is such a creative idea! i like fudge but would much rather eat a brownie for the most part… this is a whole new spin, though
Your fudge looks delicious! But I am really drooling over your digital thermometer!!!! Jeanette
I am not that big on fudge either….but this looks fun and my oldest son will be very happy with this. Root Beer and Floats are his fave.
Brilliant! I happen to have root beer extract tucked up in the cabinet.
What a fun fudge.
Looks and sounds great! I was thinking the other day it would be fun to make some root beer jell-o. Can I suggest that as your next experiment?
Wow! How original! I’d love to try this! 2 pounds of sugar? Sign me up!
Jessica – thanks for the laugh! I know you might be serious and my husband would love me forever if I created a root beer jell-o but it probably won’t happen.
they make root beer flavoring? who knew? i shouldn’t be surprised, after all, there’s a root-beer-flavored jelly belly jelly bean. ah, science.
Made the fudge…and even though you said it tastes like a root-beer float I was still SHOCKED that it really did!! Hubby loved it and so did my little ones. With the 2lbs of sugar this will be an only at Christmas time treat! Thanks!!
Stacey – it’s weird, huh, how much it tastes like root beer! Glad you loved it (and yes, it is slightly decadent with all that sugar!).
This looks delightful. I love a root beer float. I enjoy making homemade root beer as well. I was at the store today and was going to buy the ingredients and Target did not have the root beer flavoring.
I don’t want to be mean and critique(just being helpful for any newbies) and I had to read it several times but you state underneath the 2nd step-by-step photo, the instruction says “Start cooking the picture, stirring constantly.” And I’m not joking but I wondered how you cook a picture. Just trying to be helpful, I know I make more than my fair share of grammar errors.
Wow, what a great idea! I’ve never heard of this kind of fudge before(:
Got a confession to make, I turn to your blog for my sugar fix!
These are hilarious! I have never heard of such a thing as Rootbeer float fudge! This would definetly delight my boys:) Thanks Mel!
My husband LOVES root beer! This would be perfect for him!!! Thanks!
Mary – not mean at all! I’m glad you pointed it out. Fixed!
I tried this today and it is pretty yummy, my boys drooled over it so we all tasted a smidgen before putting it on goodie plates! Thanks for the fun twist! P.S. I think your next giveaway should be a dandy thermometer like yours!
Kaleena – glad you liked it and hope your neighbors appreciated it, too! Wish I was still your neighbor – boohoo!
Interesting. I’m gonna pass it along to a blogger friend who’s fond of root beer.
~ingrid
So where do I find root beer extract in the winter? We have checked 3 grocery stores. 1 said they carry it, but only in the summer.
Kimberly – I’m sorry you are having a hard time finding root beer extract. I didn’t have a problem finding it in my stores during this winter, so I don’t know what to tell you other than maybe try ordering it online. Good luck!
I was surprised to the root beer extract is far northwest Oklahoma. I made it and it was great. I also discovered that if you place a piece of the fudge in a mug and pour hot milk over it, it makes a great hot steamer.
Kathy – glad you loved this little treat…and what a great idea for a hot drink!
I always have a bottle of root beer extract on hand for a cookie recipe I love, and I’m happy to find another recipe to justify its existence in my cupboard. (You know, because making actual root beer with it would be such a novel idea.) I’ll have to give this a whirl for Sunday dinner this week.
So I just made this and it was a disaster! It turned stringy and like caramel before I even beat it. After trying to beat it was so thick and sticky I could barely scrape it out.
Did I cook it too long? Kids loved the flavor though. It was also a lot lighter in color too. What do you think?
Sara – sorry this fudge didn’t work out for you! To be honest, I have no idea what could have gone wrong – it could be either cooking too long or not long enough or a myriad of other factors. Candy making can be very finicky! I’m glad the taste was ok, though.
I was able to find the root beer flavouring at a Beer & wine making supply store. None of the local baking/candy/grocery stores had it.
How long should it cool before the final mixing…it’s been an hour and it is still quite warm…hopefully you see this sooner than later-Thanks!