Fondant and Fudge

Fondant and fudge are the two most common finely crystalline candies, whose nature is to dissolve to a creamy consistency on the tongue. The name fondant comes from the French fondre, meaning “to melt,” and fondant is the base for what are called candy “creams,” the flavored, moist, melt-in-the-mouth interiors of filled chocolates and other candies. It also serves as an icing for cakes and pastries; it can be rolled out and molded onto a cake, or warmed or thinned until runny and poured into a thin layer. Fudge is essentially fondant made with added milk, fat, and sometimes chocolate solids (it can also be thought of as a crystallized version of caramel). Penuche is fondant made with brown sugar (some New Orleans pralines are penuche that includes pecans).