The history of fudge: Did a mistake create a sweet treat? (2024)

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The history of fudge: Did a mistake create a sweet treat? ›

That appetite for fudge dates back more than a century. Food historian Joyce White says fudge is based on a recipe for chocolate caramels, which was very similar. "What probably happened is that there was someone in Baltimore, messed it up, or 'fadged' it," she said. "Fadge is a word that means you messed up.

Fudge's story began in the United States around the 1880s. The first documented instance of fudge being made was at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York when a student named Emelyn Battersby Hartridge heard of a fudge recipe and made 30 pounds of it for a senior auction.

The exact origin and inventor of this delicious confection are hotly debated. However, many believe the first batch of fudge was created by accident when American bakers “fudged” a batch of caramels. Hence the name “fudge.”

Fudge is a decadent confection that has been enjoyed for over a century. This creamy, smooth, and rich treat is made from sugar, milk, and flavorings, and has become a staple in candy stores and homes around the world.

It's largely speculated that, somewhere in America, a homemade batch of caramel was ”fudged” (not a pun, although very apt) and went horribly wrong leading to a result that was terribly and deliciously right.

That appetite for fudge dates back more than a century. Food historian Joyce White says fudge is based on a recipe for chocolate caramels, which was very similar. "What probably happened is that there was someone in Baltimore, messed it up, or 'fadged' it," she said. "Fadge is a word that means you messed up.

It has its origins in the 19th century United States, and was popular in the women's colleges of the time. Fudge can come in a variety of flavorings depending on the region or country it was made; popular flavors include fruit, nut, chocolate and caramel.

Tarte Tatin

This upside-down French dessert was stumbled upon in a hotel owned by two sisters in the 19th Century. When making an apple tart, one of the sisters accidentally over-cooked the apples. To rescue it and disguise the error, she popped the pastry over the top. Et voilà – a dessert favourite was born!

If your fudge turned out super sticky, or it didn't set as it cooled, it probably never got hot enough.

It is unknown what happened to Fudge after Lord Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic, but he lost his position as messenger between the Minister and the Muggle Prime Minister, as the Death Eaters had no use for Muggle liaisons.

Why is fudge so sweet? ›

Fudge typically contains sugar, butter or cream, milk or condensed milk, cocoa powder (or melted chocolate), flavoring such as vanilla extract or peppermint oil, and sometimes nuts or marshmallows for added texture.

Fudge is one of the rare exceptions to the rule that sugar crystals are not desirable in candy. Tiny microcrystals in fudge are what give it its firm texture.

Fudge is a creamy sweet made from sugar, butter, and milk or cream, often vanilla-flavoured but available in various flavours, including chocolate.

One of the first documentations of fudge is in a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, then a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She wrote that a schoolmate's cousin made fudge in Baltimore in 1886 and sold it for 40 cents a pound.

Fudge, like tablet, is beaten as it cools to help it thicken. Behan suggests allowing it to cool a little before doing this, but I can't see that it makes much difference, apart from making it dangerously tempting to sample (still not a good idea, however tough you think your tongue is).

Between its deeply rich flavor and its silky texture, fudge makes a brilliant treat to pair with coffee. The sweet and bitter flavors complement one another perfectly, making for an unstoppable combination.

Summary. Ice cream sundaes--ice cream topped with flavored syrup--were first referred to as "soda-less sodas." C.C. Brown, a Los Angeles ice cream parlor operator, is generally credited for introducing the hot fudge sundae in 1906.

So maybe fudge—like Dippin' Dots or cotton candy—became a tourist dessert because it was a novel way of making sweets. Fudgeries provided both the entertainment of watching something new and unusual being made and the happy junk-food rush of eating a filling, sweet candy.

When fudge is a verb, it means to avoid straightforwardly answering a question or addressing a subject: "Just answer my question and don't fudge the issue!" Fudge is an American word from college slang meaning "a made-up story."

That's how much world-famous Mackinac Island fudge gets handcrafted daily during peak tourism season. Five tons of fudge every day!