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Everybody likes to eat flavorful, rich fudge, but people assume it is difficult to make themselves. Original recipes for fudge were difficult and rather ambiguous. Difficulty largely depended on the kind of ingredients, the quality of equipment used, which recipe and the patience taken to make it right. Also, nonstop stirring and being sure of the cooking time, and precise measurements were vital for perfect fudge candy. Getting the ingredients to the appropriate temperature, and stirring at the right time also will be needed to make the fudge smooth and creamy and not gritty. Moreover it is extremely easy to under cook or over cook this confectionery treat, which often results in it not setting up correctly or the ingredients tasting scorched.

Fudge by definition is a creamy and rich candy. A soft confection, generally very smooth and made using sweet cream, sugar, fresh butter, corn syrup and sometimes some different incredible flavorings. Flavors may be chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, vanilla, kool aid, Kahlua, buttermilk, peanut butter, flavored gelatin, pumpkin, maple, bourbon or even mint. Fudge might have various nuts, such as pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, roasted macadamia nuts, and almonds. Other possible ingredients that are used in the more uncommon or decadent fudge may be: popcorn, crackers, crushed candy canes, cheese, candy bars, lime zest, pineapple chunks, coconut, espresso beans, cookie wafers, caramel, chocolate chips, cherries and other candied or dried fruit, chocolate chunks, or marshmallows.

According to history, fudge was accidentally invented by a batch of failed candy; likely caramels, sometime around the year 1886. From this failed candy batch came the term or the exclamation of 'oh, fudge!' The earliest written indication of fudge was in a letter from New York. Emelyn Battersby Hartidge, a student from Vassar College, stated that a friend's cousin made fudge. In Baltimore in 1886, the candy cost 40 cents per pound. In 1888 Ms. Hartidge procured the recipe and made 30 pounds for the Senior Auction. Other colleges like Smith and Wellesley later created their own recipes for this sweet treat.

While the actual word fudge has multiple meanings, none of them are equal to the family favorite, premium chocolate fudge. In the U.S., the word fudge almost always means the rich and creamy, delicious chocolate candy. Sometimes you'll find the word fudge is printed on the boxes of cakes or brownies, but this simply means that they have a little extra chocolate flavoring.

Compared to sweets and candies that can date back a thousand years and more, fudge is fairly new. Some of the earlier flavors of fudge were chocolate, vanilla and brown sugar penuche. Michigan has become the fudge capital of America. Now days, the mixtures of ingredients or flavors are almost endless. A few of them are: chocolate cappuccino, maple walnut, lemon butter, vanilla caramel, raspberry coffee, vanilla cherry chocolate chip, dark chocolate, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate caramel pecan and peanut butter.

Author's Bio: Anna McAnthony is a staff writer at http://www.chocolategourmetcandy.com, and has been researching and writing articles on chocolate and chocolate candy for many years. Visit http://www.chocolategourmetcandy.com for more information.