Vanilla Fudge

vanilla fudge flavour

If you like your fudge to melt in the mouth like hot butter but still retain a cream rich flavour with smooth notes of vanilla then Gardiners of Scotland Vanilla Fudge will tick all the right boxes.


Traditional vanilla fudge is a mix of sugar, sweetened condensed milk, butter and vanilla (for obvious reasons, our traditional family recipe is a closely guarded secret).  But why is vanilla fudge so popular?

The use of vanilla in our meltingly delicious fudge can be looked at in the same way that salt is used for savoury foods.  It enhances the flavours of the recipe and makes everything that little bit better.

Yet the more you learn about the use of Vanilla in baking, the more you appreciate its significance.  The origin story of vanilla is itself an incredibly interesting one.  Beginning with a celadon coloured orchid (the only orchid of over 20,000 varieties that are edible), Vanilla is native to Central America and was not commercially grown anywhere else until the 19th Century.  It took this long for it to be grown anywhere else because for the orchid to produce the vanilla pod beans, it needs to be pollinated specifically by Melipona Bees or a specific species of humming bird – both of which are only found in Central America.

It was not until “hand pollination” was properly developed that commercial growing of Vanilla could be carried out successfully. Now, because of this, around 70 – 80% of the world’s vanilla comes from the islands of Madagascar where the Orchid plant was first introduced around 1840.  Interestingly the vanilla beans are often referred to as bourbon beans – nothing to do with Bourbon Whiskey – because they were first planted in the Isle de Bourbon.

The pollination of the Vanilla bearing orchid produces long thin green pods that can grow up to 12 inches long.  At this point, the pods are tasteless and odourless and are picked before they are ripe.  They are then submerged into hot water before being dried in the sun during the day and wrapped up in blankets at night so that they can sweat.  This process lasts for between 2 and 6 months until the beans become a very dark brown colour and begin developing a white crystalline substance on the outside of the bean called Vanillin.

vanilla flavoured fudge

From there it is processed and comes in different end forms.  Extract and essence, pods, powdered and vanilla sugar.

At Gardiners of Scotland, we always ensure that we use the very best ingredients to guarantee that all of our Traditional Vanilla Fudge is truly and memorably delicious.  So whether you are looking to treat yourself, searching for the ideal gift for a loved one or  something a bit more specific, we have a fantastic range of Traditional Vanilla Fudge in a great selection of gifting and presentation tins and cartons.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Discover our meltingly delicious range of Vanilla Fudge for yourself.