Like other posts, I grew up in LA, and so did my mother and grandmother, who made this fudge every Christmas. My grandmother worked at See's in the the thirties. Her "original" recipe handed down is almost the same here, except it had 18 ounces of chocolate (3, 6 ounce bags) of chocolate chips and 2 tsp of vanilla. My grandmother always used margarine and marshmallows and my mother always used butter and marshmallow creme. My grandmother said margarine was used in the 30s to keep the cost down during the depression, and I think the marshmallows had something to do with sugar rationing during WWII. I believe Guittard Chocolate Company, started in San Francisco in the late 1890s, makes a special brand of chocolate for See's. I've always used Nestle semi-sweet, but I'm going to try Guittard brand next time. See's fudge was the only recipe they published in the newspaper. My mother cut it out and I remember reading it, but that was in the 60s, I was 7 or 8. The LA times published the "original" recipe not long ago, here is the link if anyone is interested. http://recipes.latimes.com/recipe-sees-fudge/ I use Marshmallow creme, butter, and double the recipe of the LA Times version, except my chocolate amount is 18 oz instead of 12 (if you doubled the LA times recipe) this recipe has 24 oz. I've tried both and prefer 18 oz. I by huge bags of chocolate chips during the holidays, and just weigh out 18 oz. on my food scale. I have make this fudge several times for others throughout the year, because everyone loves it, and I nail it every time. It's so velvety smooth and so delicious. A few tips: I do, I butter down the sides of the pan before I cook the sugar and evap. milk, so sugar won't crystallize on the sides. I also pour the hot mixture over the marshmallow cream, butter and vanilla, after it is mixed and smooth, then I add the chocolate and melt it in. The mixture is still very hot, so the chips will melt. I use a hand mixer to help cool the fudge down for 5-10 min on med. speed, then fold in nuts. You end up with the most delicious smooth fudge. (I toast nuts for everything I make and did ONE time for this recipe... the relatives voted DOWN toasted nuts for this fudge...oh well, less thing to do. I use a 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch rectangular baking dish, and instead of buttering the dish, I line it with seran wrap and leave a few inches overhang on the handle sides. After chilling it firm, I can lift the whole 5lb slab of fudge out, take off the seran wrap, and place on a cutting board to easily cut into squares, to place on decorative plates, or gift boxes. Even if everyone's "original" recipes vary somewhat, the fudge is fantastic, and it's fun to experiment. You may come up with something even better. Lastly, I never actually had fudge from the See's store until bout 8 years ago. I bought a few pieces, and the homemade fudge tasted so much better. I love See's candy and whatever "original" recipe you use, it will be the best fudge ever.
FAQs
What is the secret to perfect fudge? ›
- Don't stir during cooking. Fudge can be cooked on the stove or in the microwave. ...
- Avoid crystallization. During cooking, sugar crystals can stick to the sides of the pan. ...
- Let cool before beating. After being cooked, the sugar must crystallize again to create fudge. ...
- Beat the mixture.
If the sugar crystals are not properly dissolved before cooling, they can create a gritty texture. To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.
Where did fudge candy originate? ›Fudge's story began in the United States around the 1880s. The first documented instance of fudge being made was at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York when a student named Emelyn Battersby Hartridge heard of a fudge recipe and made 30 pounds of it for a senior auction.
What is bordeaux fudge? ›See's Bordeaux Pecan Fudge is the perfect copycat for See's Candies buttery, creamy, and sweet fudge. With brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and pecans.
Why is my 3 ingredient fudge not setting? ›Why won't my 3 ingredient fudge set? This often happens when the condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture isn't hot enough to start.
Should fudge be refrigerated? ›The only real time you might need to refrigerate proper fudge is if weather conditions are extremely hot. This won't extend the life of the fudge but will help it remain solid and not soften in the heat. Homemade Fudge stored in the freezer lasts about 2 - 3 months and stays fresh if appropriately wrapped.
Where is the best fudge in the world? ›Whether you visit Mackinac Island on National Fudge Day in June or any other day – maybe during the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival in August – come find your favorite flavor and experience the fudge capital of the world!
What do Americans call fudge? ›Fudge is a rich, chocolate candy made with plenty of sugar, cream, and butter. Fudge is usually cut into squares and eaten in small quantities. While fudge comes in many different flavors, it's usually chocolate. In the US, another kind of fudge is smooth, melted chocolate that can be poured over the top of ice cream.
What is fudge slang for? ›: foolish nonsense. often used interjectionally to express annoyance, disappointment, or disbelief. 2. : a soft creamy candy made typically of sugar, milk, butter, and flavoring.
What is Scottish fudge called? ›Tablet (taiblet in Scots) is a medium-hard, sugary confection from Scotland. Tablet is usually made from sugar, condensed milk, and butter, which is boiled to a soft-ball stage and allowed to crystallise. It is often flavoured with vanilla and sometimes has nut pieces in it.
What is the name of the Italian fudge? ›
Penuche (/pəˈnutʃi/, from Italian: panucci) is a fudge-like candy made from brown sugar, butter, and milk, using no flavorings except for vanilla.
What's the difference between fudge and chocolate fudge? ›Although fudge often contains chocolate, fudge is not the same as chocolate. Chocolate is a mix of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sometimes sugar and other flavorings and is hard and brittle. Fudge is a mixture of sugar, dairy and flavorings that is cooked and cooled to form a smooth, semi-soft confection.
How to make fudge more solid? ›How do you fix fudge that is too soft? Bring the fudge back to a boil with 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of cream. If your fudge is soft or runny, it probably didn't come up to a high enough temperature while it was cooking. Put it back into the saucepan and add 1–2 US tbsp (15–30 ml) of 35% fat whipping cream.
Should you stir fudge while it's cooking? ›Don't stir!
Once the fudge reaches soft-ball stage on the candy thermometer, remove from the heat and let the temperature drop to 110°F. Keep that spoon or spatula out of the pot until this happens. If you stir too early in the process, you'll make the sugar crystals too big and end up with grainy fudge.
The main reason is that your Fudge has not reached the optimum temperature. If your mixture only reaches 110 or 112 degrees Celsius it will always be soft. That's why we recommend investing in a sugar thermometer. Another reason your Fudge is not setting is that the ratio of liquid to sugar is too high.
What does cream of tartar do in fudge? ›Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!