"fudge" news and stories

Fudge is one of the easiest candies to make, and the dense chocolate treat tucked into a cool tin is a perfect holiday gift. We've got recipes for you, for a good classic chocolate fudge; one with a hint of espresso powder, to create a latte variation; and even a white-chocolate Key Lime fudge. If candymaking isn't second nature to you, watch this how-to video from the Culinary Institute of America. And bring along your candy thermometer.

Happy National Fudge Day!

Like many culinary creations, fudge came to be by accident -- an accident that the chocolate-y dessert happened be christened for. According to American legend, the first batch of fudge was the result of a botched batch of caramels (hence the emphatic "fudge!" from which the moist brownies take their name).

And although fudge has been around since the late 1800s, it's still quite an exacting recipe to follow, requiring constant stirring and monitoring, and extremely precise measurements and cooking time. Later alterations to the original recipes are easier to follow, due to the addition of the likes of corn syrup, condensed milk or marshmallow cream, but best results are obtained from meticulously following simple recipes, like that of Vassar student Emelyn B. Hartridge.

According to legend, after she made a batch for the Vassar Senior Auction, fudge recipes spread (and were swapped around and toyed with) like wildfire across female colleges. Refer to TheNibble.com for early recipe examples!

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured on the site.

A tower of chocolate decadence awaits.

This peanut-studded fudge plays off the classic peanut butter-chocolate combination in a crunchy, nutty confectionery form.

The key to making flawless fudge is in the technique. Avoid coarse, grainy fudge and stir up the smoothest, creamiest fudge with these easy steps.

Any nuts, whether walnuts or pecans, can stand in for the peanuts.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot of having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

Are large crystals forming in your homemade fudge and making it grainy? Whip up a batch of the smoothest fudge with these steps.

Most desserts seem to fall into one of three realms -- something frozen, something rich with chocolate or some sort of fruit pastry. But when these barriers start to dissolve, that's when the real magic happens -- like key lime fudge.

As one of those strange people who has always preferred fruity desserts to chocolate ones, I couldn't help but pick up key lime fudge on my recent trip to Key West. Unlike many chocolate-free fudges, this wasn't merely a thick, confectioner's sugar-filled treat, but something that balanced the creaminess of fudge with the tart key lime without relying on that all-too-familiar frosting flavor.

Experimenting at home, I've come up with the perfect recipe to replicate that fresh citrus flavor. It relies on white chocolate, which frees us from the throes of frosting flavor that the confectioner's sugar inevitably leaves, and it's quite easy to make.