Fudge Is The Original Old Time Family Favorite Chocolate Sweet Treat

Fudge Candy Is A Sweet Delight

Compared to other favorite sweets that can be traced back a thousand years and more, fudge is fairly young. Earlier fudge flavors were chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar penuche. Michigan is the fudge capital of the United States. Nowadays, the mixtures of ingredients or flavorings are almost endless. Some of them are: vanilla cherry chocolate chip, raspberry coffee, chocolate cappuccino, maple walnut, lemon butter, vanilla caramel, chocolate cheesecake, peanut butter, dark chocolate and chocolate caramel pecan.

When it is defined, fudge is a creamy and rich confectionery treat. It is a semi-soft candy, usually extremely smooth and made using fresh butter, sweet cream, corn syrup, sugar and often some delicious flavorings. Flavors could be white chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla, chocolate, kool aid, peanut butter, flavored gelatin, buttermilk, Kahlua, bourbon, maple, pumpkin or even mint. Fudge might have various nuts, such as pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts, roasted macadamia nuts, or almonds. Other possible ingredients that are found in some of the more decadent or uncommon fudge may be: popcorn, cheese, crackers, candy canes, coconut, candy bars, pineapple chunks, lime zest, caramel, chocolate chips, espresso beans, cookies, chocolate chunks, cherries and other dried or candied fruit, or marshmallows.

Historically, (although arguable) fudge was accidentally developed by a failed batch of candy; likely caramels, around 1886. From this messed up batch of candy came the exclamation of or the term 'oh, fudge!' The initial written evidence of fudge was in a letter from Poughkeepsie, New York. Emelyn Battersby Hartidge, a college student from Vassar, said that a friend's cousin made fudge. In Baltimore in 1886, the confectionery was sold for 40 cents per pound. Emelyn got the recipe two years later and made 30 pounds for the Senior Auction at Vassar. Other colleges (Wellesley and Smith) then created recipes of their own for this sweet treat.

Just about everybody likes rich, sweet fudge, but people consider it difficult to make. The earliest recipes for fudge were a little vague and very difficult. Difficulty depended on which recipe was used, the ingredients, the quality of equipment used and the patience to make it right. Also, continual stirring and being sure of the cooking time, and precise measurements were vital in order to get the perfect fudge. Stirring at the proper time, and heating the ingredients to the right temperature are both needed for the fudge to be creamy and smooth and not grainy. Moreover it is really easy to under or over cook this confectionery indulgence, which often can result in the candy not setting up or tasting scorched.

While the actual word fudge has multiple meanings, none of them are synonymous with the traditional, family favorite, premium chocolate fudge. Nearly always in America, the word fudge means the rich, creamy, tantalizing confectionery made with chocolate. At times you will find the word fudge is printed on the boxes of brownies and cakes, but this simply means they have extra chocolate flavoring in the mix.

Author's Bio: Anna McAnthony is a content writer at http://www.chocolategourmetcandy.com, and has been researching and writing articles on chocolate for a number of years. Visit http://www.chocolategourmetcandy.com for more information.

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