Fudge

Fudgeis a type ofdessert barthat is made by mixingsugar,butterandmilk. It has its origins in the 17th centuryUnited States, and became popular in American women's colleges in the late 19th century. Fudge can come in a variety of flavorings depending on the region or country it was made; popular flavors include fruit, nut,chocolateandcaramel. Fudge is often bought as a gift from agift shopin tourist areas and attractions.
The termfudgeis said to have originated in the 17th century from the verbfadgeand means "to fit together in a clumsy manner". During this period,fudgewas used as aninterjection by sailors to respond to nonsense or untruth.
Fudge as a confection gained traction in the United States during the late 19th century; recipes for fudge were printed in many periodicals and advertisements during the 1880s.Its inexpensive, unrefined qualities made it popular among people looking for an alternative that fell between expensive candies and the cheapest sweets.Specialized fudge shops began opening in tourist places such asMackinac Island, Michigan, in 1887.The increase in fudge's popularity was partly due to the accessibility of its production process: ordinary people were able to make it in their homes without any specialized equipment. In addition, the cost ofrefined white sugarhad been decreasing at the time, cutting production costs.
Making fudge was a popular activity atwomen's colleges, especiallyVassar CollegeinPoughkeepsie, New York.In a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, a student at Vassar, she recounts purchasing of a box of fudge for 40 cents a pound in 1886 inBaltimore, Maryland.Another student at Vassar College claimed to have introduced it there in 1888 by selling her own 30 lb (14 kg) batch.The diary of student Elma Martin mentions making "fudges" in 1892.An 1893 letter from aVassar Collegestudent Adelaide Mansfield describes "fudges" as containingsugar,fruit,chocolate,milk, andbutter.
A recipe for "Fudges at Vassar" was printed inThe Sunin 1895.Despite describing the confections as "Vassar chocolates", the recipe given comprisessugar,milk,butter, andvanilla extract.Wellesley CollegeandSmith Collegehave their own versions of a fudge recipe dating from the late 19th or early 20th century.
Intexture, fudge falls betweenfondant icingand hard caramels.In forming afondant, it is not easy to keep allvibrationsandseed crystalsfrom causing rapidcrystallizationinto large crystals. Consequently,milkfatandcorn syrupare often added to prevent premature crystallization. Corn syrup containsglucose,fructose(monosaccharides), andmaltose(disaccharide). These sugars interact withsucrosemolecules, inhibiting crystal contact to prevent premature crystallization. The added milkfat also helps to prevent rapid crystallization.
Controlling the crystallization of thesupersaturatedsugar solution is the key to making smooth fudge. Initiating crystals before the desired time will result in fudge with fewer, larger sugar grains. The final texture would then be grainy, a quality that is normally indicative of lower quality fudge.
It is the endpoint temperature that separates hardcaramelfrom fudge. The higher the peak temperature, the more sugar is dissolved and the more water evaporates, resulting in a higher ratio of sugar to water. Before the availability of cheap and accurate thermometers, cooks would use theice-water(or cold water) test to determine the saturation of the confection. Fudge is made at the "soft ball" stage, which varies by altitude and ambient humidity from 235 °F (113 °C) to 240 °F (116 °C). Butter is then added to the mixture and the fudge is cooled and beaten until it is thick and small sugar crystals have formed.The warm fudge is sometimes poured onto a marble slab to be cooled and shaped.
Fudge-making has evolved a variety of flavors and additives. The favored flavors vary by location: in the United States, chocolate is a default flavor, with peanut butter and maple as alternatives. When it is made from brown sugar, it is calledpenucheand is typically found in New England and the Southern States.
In the UK, rum-and-raisin,clotted creamand salted-caramel are popular flavours.Fudge shares similarities withtablet, a confection with similar ingredients but a grainy, brittle texture.
Hot fudge sauce is achocolateproduct often used in the United States and Canada as a topping for ice cream in a heated form, particularlysundaes,parfaitsand occasionallys'mores.The butter in typical fudge is replaced with heavy cream, resulting in a thick chocolate sauce that is pourable while hot and becomes denser as the sauce cools. Commercial hot fudge sauce syrups (flavored with either natural or artificial flavorings) are generally thinner and formulated to be usable at room temperature.