Vassar Yesterday

Fudge Mania

By Elizabeth Randolph

Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, Class of 1892, has been widely credited with inventing fudge while a student at the college, but the Vassar Encyclopedia begs to differ. In the article “Vassar Myths & Legends” it notes that, though Hartridge’s letter describing the fudge was the first known documentation of an American-style fudge recipe, the student had acknowledged receiving instructions from a classmate’s cousin.

Nevertheless, “Vassar Fudge” remained a favorite among students for years to come. So bewitching was the chocolaty confection that students would make it in the middle of the night, dangerously diverting the gas from their lamps for the task.

Read more about Vassar’s dessert mania in Darra Goldstein’s introduction to the EAT issue.

And, in tribute to the ingenuity of Vassar girls in search of a midnight munch, try the recipe.

Vassar Fudge

2 cups sugar
1 cup light cream
2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter

Combine sugar, coarsely chopped chocolate, and cream. Cook over a moderate heat, stirring only until sugar and chocolate have melted. Continue cooking until mixture reaches 238°F or until a few drops tested in cold water form a soft ball. Remove from heat, add butter, and cool slightly. Beat until fudge begins to harden, then transfer to a buttered platter. Cut into squares before the fudge is absolutely firm. Makes a little more than 1 pound.

©1964 American Heritage Publishing, Inc. Reprinted by permission.