Old Fashioned Penuche Fudge Recipe - Tasty Ever After (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between fudge and penuche? ›

Penuche often has a tannish color, and is lighter than regular fudge. It is formed by the caramelization of brown sugar; thus, its flavor is said to be reminiscent of caramel. Nuts, especially pecans, are often added to penuche for texture, frequently in the making of penuche candies.

Once a seed crystal forms, it grows bigger and bigger as the fudge cools. A lot of big crystals in fudge makes it grainy. By letting the fudge cool without stirring, you avoid creating seed crystals.

pə-ˈnō-chə : fudge made usually of brown sugar, butter, cream or milk, and nuts.

Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar added. The sweetened condended milk is needed as no extra sugar is added to the fudge. If evaporated milk were used then the fudge would not be sweet enough and also would still be too soft unless the fudge is frozen.

Some folks say that the name originates from a Mexican Spanish word for sugar, while others argue the fudge is named after a 1920s Boston Bruins player, Mark Penuche. Penuche stands apart from its fudge relatives mainly because it is based on brown rather than white sugar, offering a unique caramel flavor.

Fudge typically contains sugar, butter or cream, milk or condensed milk, cocoa powder (or melted chocolate), flavoring such as vanilla extract or peppermint oil, and sometimes nuts or marshmallows for added texture.

You should mix the cream, butter, and sugar when making your fudge, but put down the spoon once it has reached its boiling point. Stirring while your sugar mixture is boiling will only form sugar crystals and make your fudge crunchy rather than silky smooth.

To avoid this, ensure that you stir the fudge mixture consistently and remove any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush.

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

What does penuche fudge taste like? ›

Penuche (pə-​ˈnō-​chə) is pronounced pe-new-chee. The Italian form of the word is panucci. The fudge-like candy includes the following ingredients: brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. Lighter in color than traditional fudge, penuche tastes like maple thanks to the brown sugar.

The kind of brown sugar you would find in cafés to sweeten your coffee, for us Italians is zucchero di canna- literally, cane sugar, as it also sometimes referred to in English.

sugar no pl (sweetener):

Zucker m.

You have to control two temperatures to make successful fudge: the cooking temperature AND the temperature at which the mixture cools before stirring to make it crystallize. Confectionery experiments have shown that the ideal cooking temperature for fudge is around 114 to 115 °C (237 to 239 °F).

Brush the sides of the pan with a wet brush at the beginning of cooking to dissolve sugar crystals stuck to the sides. Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again. The mixture may seize and become grainy. Use a candy thermometer or conduct a cold water test to check if the fudge is done.

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.

Cream of tartar is used in caramel sauces and fudge to help prevent the sugar from crystallizing while cooking. It also prevents cooling sugars from forming brittle crystals, this is why it's the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles!