fudge a sweetmeat made from sugar, milk, and butter boiled to the soft ball stage (see sugar boiling) and then beaten, to produce a characteristic grainy texture. This is due to the presence of small sugar crystals in a supersaturated sugar solution. If the mixture is beaten whilst still hot, the crystals are relatively large; if the mixture is allowed to cool before beating, the crystals formed are much smaller and more even, giving a smooth texture. A slightly different method is employed when fudge is manufactured on an industrial scale: here a proportion of fondant is added to ‘seed’ the mixture with crystals. Finally, the mixture is poured onto a surface and allowed to cool and set before being cut into small pieces.
