Traditional Fudge Recipe From 1890! (Vassar Fudge)

In this Instructable, I will show you how to make one of the oldest known American fudge recipes, Vassar Fudge. Named after Vassar College, where a Student, Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, Class of 1892, is attributed to making it, although she admitted she got the recipe from a classmate's cousin. You don't get more classic than this fudge recipe.

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Follow the steps below or watch the in-depth video tutorial or better yet do both!

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup of cream, it can be light or heavy cream (240g)
2. 2 cups of sugar (400g)
3. 2 to 4 oz of unsweetened or bitter chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet and dark chocolate as well (56 to 112g)
4. 1 Tbsp of butter (13g)

Tools:

1. Thermometer - highly recommended to use some sort of food thermometer or candy thermometer. I shared the one I use and like.
2. Medium Pot - It helps if it has a heavy bottom.
3. Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spoon
4. 8x8-inch pan
5. Parchment paper or just butter the pan

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Add the cream, the sugar, and the chocolate to a pot and place it on the burner. Set the temp to medium-low.

Gently heat and stir until everything is melted, then you can turn the heat up to medium. Keep stirring.

Once the mixture starts to boil, stop stirring. This is important. If there are any sugar crystals on the side of the pot, brush those down with a basting brush and a little water.

Let the mixture continue to boil until it reaches 235F/112C. Then add the butter, but don't stir.

Now, let the mixture come up to 238F/114C, then remove it from the heat.

IMPORTANT: Allow the fudget to cool without stirring until it reaches 110F/43C. Then you stir and beat the fudge for about 2 to 3 minutes until it loses a little bit of its shine. But don't beat it too much it may sieze up on you.

Once the fudge is beaten, pour it into an 8x8 inch pan lined with parchment paper or butter the pan. Then spread it out evenly.

Allow the fudge to cool completely to set. Then slice it into squares and serve!

**Print the traditional fudge recipe here if desired.

Now watch those steps in action with this video tutorial.