Homemade Fudge for National Fudge Day

The indulgent homemade fudge

A gorgeous confectionery generally associated with a very rustic and indulgent taste, fudge and homemade fudge are the ultimate afternoon tea time treat. An extremely rich sweet treat, it is made up of milk, butter and sugar and is a gorgeously moist, rich treat.

Today is National Fudge Day and is the perfect time of year to start celebrating your love of fudge! If you love your rich desserts, then this is definitely for you – just try not to eat too much as its rich flavors can get a bit sickly!

It is thought that fudge was created when someone was making a batch of caramel and the sugar in the mixture recrystalised thus creating the ‘fudgey’ texture. Believed to be invented in America, the origin of fudge is uncertain. However, it is named so after a batch of caramel went wronged i.e. someone ‘fudged’ the batch.

Fudge was being sold commercially from 1886 and appears in some written publications from this time in America but no other written account of fudge has been recorded elsewhere.

Make your own delicious fudge

Ingredients:

• 450g Regular caster sugar
• 375g Condensed milk
• 100g Butter (softened)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

1. To begin, put the saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter.
2. As the butter is melting, add the condensed milk, sugar, and vanilla extract.
3. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Continuously stirring, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat.
4. Keep the mixture at a low heat but do not stop stirring or it will caramelise too fast. Cook on a low heat for between 8 and 10 minutes.
5. After this time, use a teaspoon to pick out a dollop of the mixture and then drop it into a bowl of cold tap water. Feel the texture of the fudge – it should be fairly pliable.
6. If this is the case, take the saucepan off the heat and push the base into a sink of cold water. Keep stirring the fudge with a wooden spoon until it gets stiffer, grainier and thicker in texture.
7. Take the saucepan out of the water and scoop the fudge onto a wide yet shallow rectangular dish. Spread the fudge out to a 1cm thickness and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
8. Slice the fudge into bite-sized pieces and serve.

For different flavors, swap the vanilla extract for a different flavoring such as chocolate or coffee and give your taste buds a real treat!

Find more fudge recipes on Recipebridge.