Fudge is a melt in your mouth sugary confection made with 3 primary ingredients, sugar, butter and milk and heated to soft ball stage. You’re probably wondering how did national fudge day even start- and we were too, which is why we did a little digging and discovered . . .
That NO one really knows! Fudge itself can be dated back to a letter sent to a friend by a student at Vassar College in 1886. The key to great fudge is to avoid overstirring, which causes premature formation of crystals, causing a grainy texture, rather than a smooth creamy texture. Most “Fool-proof” fudge recipes contain marshmallow or marshmallow creme, the actual “magic” ingredient in the marshmallow is the corn syrup; which is mainly glucose. Here’s the science part of this lesson- the extra glucose molecules actually act as a barrier for the sucrose molecules and prevents them from forming crystals, creating what we consider to be “No Fail Fudge”!
Here are a few of our favorite No Fail Fudge recipes:
- Almond Joy Fudge
- Amazing Wonder Fudge (HEALTHY)
- Beyond your Fantasy Chocolate Fudge
- Cherry Nut Fudge
- Chocolate Peppermint Fudge in a Mug
- Diabetic Fudge
- Holiday Raspberry Fudge
- Maple Walnut Fudge
- Milky Way Fudge
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Snickers Fudge
- So-Easy Microwave Fudge
- Whoppers Fudge
- Ziploc Bag Fudge
- 2- Minute Chocolate Fudge
If it’s a little too warm outside for you to be considering whipping up a batch of fudge, celebrate National Fudge day by enjoying some cool homemade fudgesicles!
Perfect Fudge Tips:
Need a few pointers to getting perfect fudge everytime…
- Avoid scraping the sides and bottom of the pan while you’re cooking your fudge, this causes the sugar to crystallize prematurely and makes the end product grainy.
- Did you know? Different brands of chocolate have different ratios of cocoa. If a recipe calls for a specific brand, you should use the brand recommended or your fudge may not set properly.
- Pre measure your ingredients to save time and prevent possible over cooking of the fudge.
- Always use a candy thermometer and be sure it’s working properly before you begin cooking candy with it. How to test it
Photo Credit: (C) Canstock DreamBigPhotos
