Fudge Recipes

Fudge is a sugar-based candy, which traditionally uses chocolate as its main flavor, but recipes have been developed for almost every other sweet flavor, from the predictable peanut butter and white chocolate) to the exotic lavender and pumpkin).

The process for making fudge involves boiling sugar and other ingredients to the soft ball stage (234 degrees F). The outcome and texture of the finished product may vary depending on the humidity in the cooking area. Fudge recipes require constant stirring to prevent the mixture from becoming grainy.

Although there are varying accounts of the origin of fudge, it is widely believed that the treat was first born when a recipe for caramel went awry (the sugar was accidentally allowed to recrystalize). Early fudge recipes were notoriously delicate, but most modern fudges are made with corn syrup instead of granulated sugar, making the desired results easier to achieve.http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/candy/old/history-of-fudge.asp

A 1884 recipe known as Chocolate Caramels contained the ingredients of chocolate, milk, and butter boiled together and stirred constantly while cooking. The finished product was then cut into small squares.http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html#fudge

1. Velveeta Fudge adds cocoa, sugar, and cayenne pepper to melted Velveeta cheese and butter.http://www.recipezaar.com/velveeta-fudge-1-12-backflip-405684
2. Bailey's Irish Cream is combined with sweetened condensed milk and melted chocolate chips to make Bailey's Fudge.http://www.recipezaar.com/Baileys-Fudge-122457
3. Rachael Ray makes a white chocolate holiday fudge that includes green pistachios and red dried sweetened cranberries for holiday color.http://www.recipezaar.com/Five-Minute-White-Chocolate-Fudge-With-Pistachio-and-Cranberries-146386
4. Kraft puts a twist on their fudge recipe by using a 7 oz jar of Jet Puffed marshmallow cream and a 5 oz can of evaporated milk to the recipe to make Kraft Fantasy Fudge.Get Cooking Blog: Fantasy Fudge Recipe (December 21, 2005)
5. Recipes can use unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa.http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-fudge-recipe/index.html
6. Fruit flavored fudges may be made using a recipe with corn syrup, sugar, fruit, milk, butter and extracts.http://oldtymefudgerecipes.com/fruityfudgerecipes.php#blueberryfudge