Born in America
While America’s sweets are often borrowed from other cultures, fudge is one of the exceptions that actually originated here. It is believed that the first batch of fudge was made in the later part of the 1800s in Baltimore, when a confectioner attempted to make Valentine’s Day caramels and “fudged” the recipe.
The first documentation of the tasty treat’s recipe is traced back to Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, class of 1892. She wrote a letter describing fudge and credited a classmate’s cousin for the instructions. Legend has it she cooked up 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. It became wildly popular and the well-known Vassar Fudge recipe was born.
Easy to make
The deliciousness of fudge, combined with the small list of ingredients, requiring only sugar, butter, milk or cream and desired flavorings, resulted in a number of fudge shops opening across the U.S., U.K. and Canada. Its simplicity has kept fudge on the list of homemade holiday favorites for decades.
Fudge recently saw a surge in popularity during the 2020 pandemic shutdowns, when British bakers began posting three-ingredient fudge recipes online, amassing millions of views from those turning to cooking to while away their hours at home. The recipes shared often featured the three ingredients of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and a choice of flavoring such as Biscoff or Oreos.
Fun Fact: The largest slab of fudge ever created was produced in Ontario, Canada, in 2010. The 5,760 pound slab took more than a week to make. Fortunately, the confection freezes well, with reports that fudge can remain frozen for up to a year without any loss of flavor.
Tasty fudge at the Farmhouse Store
Whether you prefer traditional fudge flavors such as chocolate and vanilla, or you’re in the mood to try something unique, check out the variety of smooth, creamy and delicious fudge available in the Farmhouse Store section of The Farmer’s Daughter, or contact us to inquire about the flavors we have available.