Maple Fudge – Sucre à la Crème

Here’s the recipe for a French Canadian classic – Maple Fudge or Sucre à la Crème. The rich, creamy flavour of the maple syrup is the star of this recipe, making it a decadent sweet treat that is perfect for the holidays!

I enjoy cooking from vintage recipes, especially if they are a part of my families’ heritage. Another French Canadian favourite recipe I bake during the holidays is our Christmas Eve Tourtière. On the German side, my most cherished family recipe is for Homemade Sauerkraut.

Ma Mère’s Maple Fudge

My French grandmother’s maple fudge recipe has been a family favourite for decades, passed down through the generations. This vintage recipe is made with maple syrup, giving it incomparable sweetness and a special something that always makes it stand out.

Maple fudge is simply divine! Creamy, rich and sweet – this decadent treat is ideal to keep around for a special occasion or just to satisfy your cravings. Making it brings back fond memories of my grandmother, who used to make it for Christmas and special occasions. And best of all, whipping up this vintage recipe is easier than you’d think!

The ‘French’ Side

I am, genetically speaking, half ‘French Canadian’ and it’s the part of my cultural heritage that I know the most about. My grandma Lajeunesse’s (nee Ruel) family lived in the Saskatchewan French settlement of Debden, where she met my grandfather.

She spoke only French until their children began attending an English school (it is odd that there was only an English school in a French settlement…) and now, at 98 years of age, she speaks a quaint mixture of ‘Frenglish’.

By the way, she’s not your average ‘sweet’ granny. She’s 4 feet 9 inches of dynamite and she makes me laugh all the time.

French Canadian Cuisine

Her cooking has probably made the most cultural impact in my life because it was through her (and my mother) that I experienced Tourtiere, farlouche (sugar and raisin pie), Tire sur la neige, baked beans, and maple fudge.

There are quite a few of us cousins on the French side of the family and we were all taught the ‘Frenglish’ version of grand–mère, which has been reduced to ma mère. So, even though I know that ma mère means ‘my mother’, I use it to refer to my French grandmother.

This recipe for Maple Fudge has been in our French Canadian family for generations. It is second in popularity only to ma mère’s homemade doughnuts at family gatherings.

Back in the day, maple syrup was too dear to be used in large quantities so maple flavouring was used. I’ve provided the original Maple Fudge recipe from our family cookbook with the maple flavouring.

For a true Québecois experience, I’ve listed my corrections at the end of the recipe. Ma mère is getting up there in age, so she doesn’t make the doughnuts or Maple Fudge any longer. It’s time for us grandchildren to carry on the tradition!

How to Make Maple Fudge

To begin, prepare a 9 x 9 inch pan by greasing it with butter or lining it with parchment paper.

Next, mix the maple syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, milk, whipping cream, and butter together in a saucepan. Boil the creamy mixture over medium heat until the mixture reaches ‘soft ball’ stage.

How to Test for Soft Ball Stage in Maple Fudge

Testing homemade candy for the soft-ball stage may have you feeling like a real scientist! The good news is that all you need is a few simple items from around your kitchen.

Start by filling a cup with cold water, then drop a spoonful of the hot fudge and drop it into the water. If it forms a soft ball shape, you’ve achieved the perfect consistency.

Make sure to test a sample every few minutes as you heat up the mixture—once it reaches between 238°F and 244°F, your candy has reached the soft-ball stage.

Once the fudge has reached soft ball stage, remove the mixture from heat and transfer to a stand mixer bowl. Let it cool for a few moments then slowly turn the mixer on until it reaches high speed.

Beat the fudge at high speed until it becomes creamy then add the vanilla and salt. Add the nuts at this stage, if using. Finally, pour the fudge into a greased and parchment lined 9 x 9 pan. Let the fudge cool until it is slightly warm then slice into 36 squares.

How to Store Maple Fudge

The best way to store maple fudge is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure that you wrap it up well – parchment paper or aluminium foil will do the trick – and if you have multiple layers, separate them with wax paper.

Keeping your maple fudge cold helps it from melting and make sure it stays creamy and gooey! Enjoy!

If you make this Maple Fudge recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making! Thank you so much for reading my blog.