National Fudge Day is a food holiday that allows you to indulge in your favorite flavor of this delicious confectionary. Some of the most familiar fudge flavors are chocolate, chocolate nut, peanut butter, maple and maple nut.

Fudge lends itself to experimentation when it comes to flavors. Blending favorites or even a moment of inspiration will create a new delicious kind of fudge. Adding bits of candy, nuts or sprinkles can add just the right celebratory burst of excitement to an old favorite.

There are three other fudge holidays on the calendar at this time. May 12 celebrates all those nutty fudges. July 22 marks National Penuche Fudge Day. Finally, on November 20 National Peanut Butter Fudge Day is celebrated.

In the late 19th century, some shops on Mackinac Island, Michigan, began to produce similar products as the Vassar College fudge and sold it to summer vacationers. Fudge is still made in some of the original shops located on the famous island.

• Fudge is a type of Western confectionery which is usually very sweet, and extremely rich. It is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk and heating it to the soft-ball stage at 240 °F (116 °C), and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency. Many variations with other flavorings added are possible.
 
• The components of fudge are very similar to the traditional recipe for tablet, which is noted in The Household Book of Lady Grisell Baillie (1692-1733). The term “fudge” is often used in the United Kingdom for a softer variant of the tablet recipe.
 
• American-style fudge (containing chocolate) is found in a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
 
• Word of this popular confectionery spread to other women’s colleges.
 
• Hot fudge in the United States and Canada is usually considered to be a chocolate product often used as a topping for ice cream in a heated form, particularly sundaes and parfaits.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Pick up some fudge at your local confectionery store and share it with family and friends. Below is a great fudge recipe if you feel like making your own. Use #NationalFudgeDay on social media.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Fudge Day.

Fudge

"I double the recipe and put in a glass baking dish (9x13 inches). Nice for holidays . . . Keep it for a secret and family and friends will think you worked forever on it . . . (smiles). You can also use peanut butter chips and make peanut butter fudge."

Ingredients

• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter or margarine in large microwaveable bowl. Zap in microwave on medium until chips are melted, about 3-5 minute, stirring once or twice during cooking. Stir in nuts, if desired.

2. Pour into well-greased 8x8-inch glass baking dish. Refrigerate until set.