Penuche Fudge

I had planned to make six different varieties of fudge this year, but as I made recipes, and talked to people, I kept adding ideas of recipes that I wanted to make. One that was particularly interesting was brown sugar or penuche fudge. It seemed a lot different that other recipes I made, and the recipes seemed really interesting. I decided I would try this recipe for penuche, a new experience for me!

There are many different recipes online, but I chose this one from Taste of Home. While Taste of Home recipes aren’t terrible extravagant, they do usually work well, and that was what I needed. This fudge is made on the stove with a candy thermometer, but I have done that before, so I wasn’t worried. Once the mixture reaches the temperature, you take it off the heat, add a few ingredients, and let it cool to 110 degrees. This does take some time but leaves it so you can do other things.

I beat the mixture for what seemed like a long time, but I wasn’t sure how thick the fudge should get. It didn’t lose its sheen, after a long time, so I put it in the mixer on low for a bit. I’m not sure if this helped or not, but it seemed to set once I refrigerated the fudge. The fudge is a little soft, but the flavor is great. The brown sugar flavor is very pronounced and the fudge is sweet, but the flavor is fantastic.

Penuche Fudge
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, diced
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Line a 9” pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray.

In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, sugar, milk, corn syrup, and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees. Remove from the heat and top with the butter and vanilla. Do not stir.

Allow the mixture to cool, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 110 degrees. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken. Add the pecans and continue beating until the mixture is very thick and starts to lose its sheen. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and refrigerate until set.

Once set, lift the foil from the pan and cut into small squares.

Recipe from Jhana Seidler via Taste of Home