Chocolate Pistachio Fudge Still Sticky

Our answer

The Chocolate Pistachio Fudge does need to be made with chocolate with a high cocoa content as the cocoa solids will help the fudge to set. Nigella suggests a chocolate with 70% cocoa solids but if you have used one with significantly less then it may have affected the texture. In the UK most supermarkets sell the higher cocoa brands of chocolate and in the US you can find bars of 70% cocoa solids (Lindt, Green & Black's) in better supermarkets and gourmet stores, or the recipe should work with one of the better quality bittersweet chocolates (that has 62% cocoa solids) but not semisweet chocolate.

Also check that the trays have been stored in the coldest part of the fridge (towards the back). You may have more difficulty getting the fudge to set in very hot or humid conditions. You can freeze the fudge and store it in the freezer if it is really soft. You don't need to thaw the fudge before eating it, just serve it direct from the freezer. If anything the texture becomes more traditionally fudge-like and grainy on freezing.

The fudge usually peels away from the foil tray without much difficulty (you can use scissors to cut away the sides of the tray to help to ease the fudge out) but if it is a little sticky then line the tray with some baking parchment (parchment paper) with some of the parchment coming up the sides of the tray to act as handles. The fudge can be lifted out then flipped over and the parchment paper peeled away.

It is probably also worth mentioning that as this is not a cooked fudge it will always be slightly soft and not as firm as a cooked fudge which will have been boiled first.