- fudge
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fudge1
/fuj/, n.a soft candy made of sugar, butter, milk, chocolate, and sometimes nuts.[1895-1900, Amer.; of uncert. orig.; the word was early in its history associated with college campuses, where fudge-making was popular; however, attempts to explain it as a derivative of FUDGE3 (preparing the candy supposedly being an excuse to "fudge" on dormitory rules) are dubious and prob. after-the-fact speculation]fudge2/fuj/, n., v., fudged, fudging.n.1. nonsense or foolishness (often used interjectionally).v.i.2. to talk nonsense.[1690-1700; orig. uncert.; cf. FUDGE3]fudge3/fuj/, v., fudged, fudging, n.v.i.1. to cheat or welsh (often fol. by on): to fudge on an exam; to fudge on one's campaign promises.2. to avoid coming to grips with something: to fudge on an issue.3. to exaggerate a cost, estimate, etc., in order to allow leeway for error.v.t.4. to avoid coming to grips with (a subject, issue, etc.); evade; dodge: to fudge a direct question.n.5. a small stereotype or a few lines of specially prepared type, bearing a newspaper bulletin, for replacing a detachable part of a page plate without the need to replate the entire page.6. the bulletin thus printed, often in color.7. a machine or attachment for printing such a bulletin.[1665-75; orig. uncert.; in earliest sense, "to contrive clumsily," perh. expressive var. of fadge to fit, agree, do (akin to ME feien to put together, join, OE fegan); unclear if FUDGE1 and FUDGE2 are developments of this word or independent coinages]
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▪ candycreamy candy made with butter, sugar, milk, and usually chocolate, cooked together and beaten to a soft, smooth texture. Fudge may be thought of as having a consistency harder than that of fondant (q.v.) and softer than that of hard chocolate. According to most recipes, the ingredients of fudge are cooked to what is termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234° and 240° F (112° and 115° C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers. Butter and vanilla are added as the candy cools, then the mass is beaten until creamy, poured into a pan, and cut into squares. Often sour cream is substituted for milk and butter, and nut meats or raisins may be stirred into the fudge.Although chocolate is the usual base for the candy, fudges are often made with marshmallow cream, peanut butter, vanilla, maple, or butterscotch. Variously flavoured fudges are used as cake icings and ice cream toppings.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
