There are few treats that bring back the taste of childhood like rich, creamy, gourmet fudge. As rich as the treat itself is the confection’s history, which dates back to the 1880s. Contrary to popular belief, fudge is actually an American invention that resulted from an accident with a bungled (or “fudged”) batch of caramels. The sugar was allowed to recrystallize, and the name was born from the interjection, “Oh fudge!”

Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, a Vassar College student in Poughkeepsie, NY, created the one of the first documentations of fudge in a letter to her family. In her letter, she referred to a schoolmate’s cousin who made fudge in Baltimore in 1886 and sold it for 40 cents a pound. She snatched the recipe up, and in 1888, made 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. The trend quickly caught on at other women’s colleges such as Wellesley and Smith, both of which developed their own versions of this “original” fudge recipe.

After all these years, Swiss Maid Fudge has changed the process very little, maintaining the precise measurements, cooking time and stirring that are crucial for perfect fudge. And while the recipe may not look all that overwhelming—heat a mixture of sugar, butter and milk or cream to the soft-ball stage (224°-238°F), then beat it to a smooth, creamy consistency while it cools – fudge is notoriously easy to undercook or overcook.

Lucky for you, we’ve perfected the process and are shipping the same quality, homemade fudge that fascinated Emelyn Hartridge years ago,  straight to the comforts of your home!