How to Make Chocolate Fudge Using the "Original" Recipe

National Fudge Day is June 16th! This is the recipe that Emelyn B. Hartrige used for the Vassar College Senior Auction in 1888.

Fudge, an American invention, dates back to the 1880s. A Vassar college student in Poughkeepsie, NY, referenced it in a letter, dated 1886, saying that a classmate's cousin, who lived in Baltimore, MD, made fudge and sold it for 40 cents per pound. The author of the letter, Emelyn Battersby Hartrige obtained the recipe and made 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. Word about the confection spread from there to other women's colleges.

Good Luck!

If you want to see a list of other June Choco-Holidays go to http://hubpages.com/_kmeH/hub/National-Fudge-Day-is-June-16h

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 Cups granulated white sugar
• 1 Cup cream
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter + butter for pan
• Wooden spoon
• Saucepan
• Candy thermometer
• Pan or tin for storage

1. Butter tin or pan.

2. In a pot, over medium heat, combine sugar and cream, stirring constantly.

3. Once sugar mixture is hot add chocolate.
   Stir constantly.

4. Cook until mixture reaches "soft-ball" stage. (234-238 degrees)

5. Remove from heat. Add butter. Let cool slightly, then mix until combined and fudge starts to thicken.

6. Transfer fudge to tin. Cut into pieces before fudge hardens.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to stir constantly to avoid burning sugar and/or chocolate. This is the key to creamy fudge.
• Always use a wooden spoon for stirring
• Warm candy thermometer in hot water to about 212 degrees before putting in hot sugar mixture. Conversely, cool the thermometer gradually in hot water.
• Emelyn Hartrige apparently cut her fudge into diamonds instead of squares.
• Fudge will be hard to cut if it is allowed to harden completely.
• Fudge is tricky. If it's undercooked it won't harden nicely. If it's overcooked it will crystallized.

[acole]

on 7/18/2008 Yum! Gotta love fudge!