Pecan Penuche
Submitted by cjcraggs
Pecan penuche fudge made with dark brown sugar, butter, and milk cooked to firm ball stage. A creamy, caramel-flavored candy with old-fashioned technique.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
40 minPenuche is brown sugar fudge, and it tastes like caramel crossed with maple without using either. Dark brown sugar cooked with milk to the firm ball stage, then beaten until it loses its gloss and sets into a creamy, sliceable candy studded with chopped pecans.
The technique here is real candy making. You need a candy thermometer and patience. Cooking to firm ball stage (240-250°F / 115-121°C) is the difference between penuche that sets up properly and a sticky mess that never firms. Undershoot and it stays soft. Overshoot and it turns grainy.
Washing down the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush prevents sugar crystals from forming on the edges and seeding the batch. One stray crystal can turn the entire pot gritty, so this step matters more than it looks.
Don’t stir while it cools. Drop the butter in and walk away. Stirring too early encourages crystal formation. Wait until it’s cooled down, then beat vigorously until the candy thickens and turns from glossy to matte. That’s your window to spread it.
Pro Tips
- Use dark brown sugar, not light. The deeper molasses flavor is what separates penuche from plain fudge.
- Cut the butter into small pieces so it melts evenly into the hot candy without stirring.
- Beat by hand or with a wooden spoon. A mixer can overbeat it before you realize it’s ready.
- Mark the squares while the penuche is still warm. Once it’s fully set, cutting cleanly is much harder.
Variations
- Walnut penuche: Swap pecans for toasted walnuts for a slightly more bitter, earthy crunch.
- Maple penuche: Add a teaspoon of maple extract alongside the vanilla for a stronger caramel-maple flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Oil a jelly-roll pan or an 8 X 8-inch pan.
Combine the sugar, milk and salt in a heavy 3-quart pot, stirring to mix well.
Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
Cover and let boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Uncover and wash down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.
Continue to boil, over medium heat, to the firm ball stage (240-250 degrees F.), stirring only if it starts to burn.
Remove from the heat and immediately place the pot in a larger pot filled with cold water; this will stop the cooking process and bring the temperature down.
Drop in the butter and let cool slightly, without stirring.
Beat until it starts to thicken, add the vanilla and the pecans and continue to beat until the candy loses some of its gloss.
Spread evenly in the pan and mark into squares.
When firm, cut into pieces and store in an airtight container.
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