Fudge vs. Tablet: Key Differences in Texture, Taste & Recipe
Fudge is a soft, creamy sugar confection boiled with butter and milk until it sets; Tablet is a Scottish brittle candy boiled to hard-crack stage, then crystallized into a grainy, snap-able slab.
People confuse them because both are stirred over heat, poured, and sliced, yet the texture spectrum—creamy vs. brittle—gets blurred by regional names and identical ingredients on the label.
Key Differences
Texture: fudge melts softly; tablet snaps sharply. Taste: fudge is buttery-sweet; tablet is intensely caramelized with a hint of condensed-milk. Recipe: fudge stops at 115 °C; tablet is cooked to 120–125 °C and vigorously beaten to create micro-crystals.
Which One Should You Choose?
Want a gift that ships well? Tablet’s dryness survives postage. Craving spoonable indulgence? Fudge melts over desserts. Both keep for weeks, but fudge demands refrigeration in warm climates.
Can tablet be made soft?
Lowering the final temperature below 118 °C yields chewy tablet, yet traditionalists will insist it’s no longer authentic.
Is condensed milk mandatory?
No—granulated sugar, cream, and butter suffice, but condensed milk accelerates caramelization and the signature Tablet flavor.