Today is June 16th National Fudge Day #NationalFudgeDay and it is also #Father’sDay and today would be a fun day to make a batch of Fudge for David because he loves Fudge. For David he is like me and doesn’t care of it has Nuts or not but if you ask me Nuts taste better. If you will excuse me I am off to get Charlie to go to the store with me to get the ingredients and I’m going to make a double batch of Fudge with and without Nuts because Charlie loves Fudge more than David and I do and if we aren’t careful me might eat it all before David gets home from work.
National Fudge Day is a day to enjoy Fudge which is appreciated all over the world. It cannot be denied that celebrating Fudge is a great way to spend just about any day, especially on National Fudge Day! Fudge is a soft, smooth confectionary that is made by mixing and then heating Milk, Butter and Sugar.
A variety of other ingredients can then be added to create assorted varieties and flavors of Fudge. Our friend Roma adds Coconut to hears which Charlie and David like but I don’t. Would you won’t Coconut in your Fudge? Some of the most popular flavors of Fudge include Chocolate and Peanut Butter, but there’s a whole world out there of Fudge flavors that are waiting to be explored. Come and join us today because exploring new flavors of fudge and sharing them with loved ones is what National Fudge Day is all about!
Did you know Fudge is thought to have been an American invention? The earliest documented mention of Fudge can be found in a letter composed by Emelyn Hartridge, who was studying at the time at Vassar College, located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The letter detailed that Fudge had been made and sold in a grocery store in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1886. At the time, the cost of 40 cents per pound of Fudge. From here, word of Chocolate Fudge spread to other women’s colleges and eventually became very popular in the US.
In fact, many people believe that the first incidence of Fudge may have been a mistake. It seems it could have been an intended batch of Caramels that went awry, or “Fudged”. That would make sense of the way we still use the term “fudging” something today. Other fudge recipes in the USA can be traced back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Mackinac Island, which is a popular vacation spot located off of the Upper Peninsula in Northern Michigan, is a place that is well-known for its Fudge-making prowess. Shops have been selling Fudge here to Summer vacationers since the late nineteenth century. Mackinac Island Fudge (as well as a delicious version of Ice Cream, including Vanilla Ice Cream blended with small chunks of Fudge) is still sold on the Island and in surrounding areas today.
Did you know modern Fudge recipes remain largely unaltered from the originals that came about more than 150 years ago? National Fudge Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the delightful and delicious beauty of making and eating Fudge!
Celebrating National Fudge Day:
On National Fudge Day, why not try making a batch of Fudge? While some Fudge recipes can be complicated and require the use of a candy thermometer, other easier recipes only need access to a microwave. A simple way to get tasty Fudge in a short time is to use this basic recipe, creating a delicious treat to make and enjoy right in the kitchen at home!
Easy Chocolate Fudge Recipe:
Melt three cups (700g) of chocolate chips along with fourteen ounces (400g) of sweetened condensed milk and ¼ cup (30g) of butter or margarine in a large bowl in the microwave.
Cook on medium heat for approximately four minutes, or until the chocolate chips have all melted, being sure to stir a couple of times during cooking.
Add in any extra ingredients (nuts, fruit, cookie crumbs, marshmallows, etc.) as desired and then stir well. Pour fudge mixture into a greased 8″x8″ glass dish and refrigerate until set. Simple, quick and tasty!
Experiment with Fudge Flavors
National Fudge Day is the perfect excuse to try some crazy new flavors of Fudge. Think about sampling something interesting like Maple and Pecan, or chomp down on Rocky Road Fudge. For those who want to go really wild, it might be fun to mix up some particularly unusual flavors, like Carrot and Orange, Licorice Fudge, or – for grown-ups only – Tequila and Lime which I believe I will pass on but I could see my sister and David trying it.
Check out these type of Fudge
- Confetti Cake Batter Fudge. This white Fudge recipe actually uses the ingredients from a cake mix, along with white Chocolate, sweetened Condensed Milk, Butter, Vanilla, and, of course, confetti sprinkles!
- Snickerdoodle Fudge. Based on the flavors found in this beloved American Cookie, Snickerdoodle Fudge is made with White Chocolate, sweetened Condensed Milk, and of course Cinnamon Sugar.
- Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee Fudge. Using a basic Vanilla Fudge recipe as a base, this recipe includes Butterscotch Morsels, Marshmallow Cream, Coffee and, of course, a dash of Bailey’s.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
