Fudge, Fudge, Glorious Vegan Fudge
The Hemp Pantry makes delicious, melt-in-the-mouth vegan fudge with hemp seeds in a range of flavours.
Our fudge is made from organic, high-quality, 100% natural plant ingredients free from all of the 14 major allergens, meaning it is dairy-free, soya-free, nut-free and gluten-free.
And it contains zero nasties – no palm oil, no hydrogenated oils, no GMO, and no artificial preservatives/colours.
But just what is fudge and where did it come from? Here we find out…
What is Fudge?
Fudge is a smooth and creamy confectionary that is made by mixing sugar, milk and butter and heating them until they melt.
Other flavours and ingredients can be added to the mix, such as cocoa, rum or dried fruit, and some fudge has chocolate or other ingredients added on top.
Fudge is usually purchased in blocks or small chunks and eaten as a sweet treat.
How Is Fudge Made?
Fudge is made by dissolving the sugar, butter and milk together over a heat, then bringing the mixture to the boil.
Then allowing the mixture to simmer until it reaches a very specific setting temperature of between 113C and 121C. The temperature changes the softness, crumbliness and chewiness of the final set fudge, depending on preference.
The mixture is stirred as it cools, and then when it has reached the desired consistency, it’s removed from the heat and beaten until it thickens. Then it’s transferred to a cool tin or surface to set and harden.
The History of Fudge
Contrary to popular belief that fudge is a British invention, it’s thought that it actually originated in the US.
The exact origins are disputed, however legend has it that in 1886, a confectioner accidently ‘fudged’ a batch of caramels, naming the resulting delight as ‘fudge’! The tasty sweet caught on and was made in women’s colleges across the country.
Recipes for fudge were printed in US magazines in the late 19th century and ‘fudges’ were mentioned in diaries and letters from the time.
In the US and UK, fudge soon became a staple of tourist town gift shops, especially those by the seaside, as holidaymakers are more likely to treat themselves to an indulgent sweet. Also, fudge made a great gift to bring home for loved ones and was often packaged in boxes that made perfect souvenirs.
Making fudge also became quite a show. Big vats brewing the mixture were poured onto large marble slabs to cool and then be shaped and sliced, and eaten – or purchased – straightaway.
For this reason, fudge’s appeal is nostalgic, down-to-earth, warm and comforting, perhaps reminding the eater of seaside holidays and beach day trips.
Our Vegan Fudge with Hemp Seeds
Our fudge is lovingly crafted by hand using traditional methods and made in the UK at our production kitchen in Fareham, Hampshire.
It’s made with hemp milk, our vegan butter alternative Veurre, and sugar. We add hemp seeds into the mixture and this is our Original flavour – simple and scrumptious!
For our other flavours, we add 100% natural flavourings and ingredients. For example, our Chocolate fudge includes organic cacao. And our Cranberry and Orange flavour includes chopped dried cranberries and orange essence.
The fudge contains 14% of hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are naturally high in protein and are considered a superfood due to their excellent nutritional value.
We’ve perfected our recipe and the perfect temperature while cooking to ensure our plant-based confectionary is deliciously creamy, with that essential crumbly-yet-soft texture that makes fudge so very moreish.
Green Packaging
Our vegan fudge comes in green packaging that can be recycled and composted. The card label can be recycled and the biodegradable bag, made from wood pulp, can be home composted.
Flavours for Everyone
We currently have five delicious flavours: Original, Chocolate, Cranberry and Orange, Lemon Drizzle and Salted Caramel. And we’re continually adding more! You can shop all our confectionary here.