Penuche Fudge
Penuche fudge is an old-fashioned, chocolate-free brown sugar candy with a creamy, buttery caramel flavor and chopped walnuts, cooked to 234°F, cooled to 110°F, and beaten until thick and velvety.
Equipment
- 9-inch square pan
- Foil
- Large heavy saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter divided
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Fit foil into a 9-inch square pan, leaving enough beyond the rim to grip later, and coat it with 1 teaspoon butter. The buttered lining should cover the interior, with accessible foil handles on the edges.
- Heat both sugars, milk, corn syrup, and salt in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until a rapid boil develops; then leave the syrup unstirred until the candy thermometer reaches 234°F, remove it from the heat, and add the vanilla and remaining 1/4 cup butter without mixing. The syrup should reach the soft-ball stage before the butter and vanilla go in.
- Leave the mixture untouched until it measures 110°F, about 40 minutes, then beat with a spoon; when thickening begins, incorporate the walnuts and continue beating until very thick and just starting to lose its shine, about 10 minutes total, before immediately spreading it in the prepared pan and allowing it to cool completely. Increasing spoon resistance and the first dulling of the glossy surface signal that the fudge is ready to spread.
- Lift the fully cooled slab by its foil handles, peel away the lining, and slice into 1-inch squares. The firm slab should hold its shape as you cut the 81 pieces.
Notes
Texture tip: Stop stirring once the sugar mixture reaches a rapid boil, and let the syrup cool undisturbed to 110°F without using the refrigerator before beating so fine sugar crystals develop instead of coarse, sandy ones.
Doneness: Spread the fudge into the prepared pan immediately when it feels very thick and its bright gloss first starts shifting toward a satin finish, and leave any crystallized residue on the saucepan walls rather than scraping it in.
Troubleshooting: If a cooled batch is unset, grainy, or chalky, return it to the saucepan with a small splash of milk, stir over low heat until all sugar crystals dissolve, then reboil to 234°F, cool undisturbed to 110°F, and beat again.
Storage: Let the fudge cool completely before packing it in a tightly closed container with waxed paper between the layers, kept away from heat, direct sunlight, and moisture.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.