Penuche Fudge

This Penuche Fudge is an old fashioned homemade fudge candy that is made with brown sugar to give it a caramel like flavor. It's extra smooth, creamy, and practically melts in your mouth! I tested this recipe four times to get the textures and flavors just right, and picked up several tips along the way to give you the silky smooth texture you want in this fudge, every single time.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Panocha, Penuche, Penuche Fudge

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Cooling Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: Pieces

Calories: 168kcal

Ingredients

3 cups Granulated Sugar
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 1/3 cups Whole Milk
2 TBS Light Corn Syrup
6 TBS Unsalted Butter
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Chopped Pecans (optional)
1/2 tsp Flakey Sea Salt (optional)

Instructions

Line a 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper so the bottom and sides are covered. Set it aside.
Add the Sugar, Brown Sugar, Milk and Corn Syrup to a large heavy duty stock pot over medium. Stir it until the sugars are dissolved and the fudge starts to boil. 3 cups Granulated Sugar, 2 cups Brown Sugar, 1 1/3 cups Whole Milk , 2 TBS Light Corn Syrup
Add the candy thermometer to the side of your pot, but make sure it isn't touching the bottom of the pot.
Let the fudge continue to cook, without stirring the whole time. Use a silicone pastry brush dipped lightly in a bowl of water to brush down the foamy residue from the sides of the pot.
Let the fudge cook until it reaches 236 to 238 F. Once it hits that temperature remove the pot from the heat.
Slice the butter into pieces and place them on top of the hot fudge, pour the vanilla and salt on top. But do not stir yet. 6 TBS Unsalted Butter, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/2 tsp Salt
Let the fudge cool without stirring the whole time, until it drops to 110 F.
Beat the fudge with an electric hand mixer over medium high speed until the butter is totally mixed in. Add in the chopped Pecans (reserving 1 TBS for later). 1 1/2 cups Chopped Pecans
Continue mixing with the hand mixer at the same speed until the fudge starts to lose its shine, but is not totally flat in appearance, and can still flow off the beaters.
Use a rubber spatula to spoon the fudge into the prepared pan, letting it spread as much as it can on its own. You can use the spatula a little as needed to spread it into the corners.
Sprinkle the top of the fudge with 1 TBS finely chopped pecans, and a pinch of flakey sea salt, if desired. 1/2 tsp Flakey Sea Salt
Let the pan sit at room temperature for a few hours until firm enough to slice. The top will have a crust, but the centers will be a little more creamy.

Notes

Use a Candy Thermometer: This is one of those recipes where a candy thermometer is a must. The fudge first gets cooked to the soft ball stage, then cooled down to a luke warm temperature before beating it with a mixer, which is what thickens it up.
Don't Stir: I know, it can be so hard to not stir the candy as its cooking, but I promise it works! Once the mixture boils put the candy thermometer in, and don't stir. Then Add the butter and vanilla and top and you still won't stir until its down to 110 F. This will prevent sugar crystals from forming, so you have an extra smooth fudge texture.
Thick Fudge: I like a thicker fudge thickness, so I make a double batch of what most recipes list to fill my whole 8x8 or 9x9 pan. If you want a single batch with the same thickness you can use a 8x5, or 9x5 bread loaf pan instead with a half batch of this recipe.
Watch Closely: When you're beating the fudge it can go from smooth to too thick to pour really quickly. You'll want to watch as the fudge just starts to loose its shiny look, but it won't totally be flat in appearance. It should still flow off the beaters, so you can pour it into the pan and it will settle down on its own, without having to spread it out too much with a spatula. This will ensure a smoother top, too.
Add Nuts: If you want to add pecans, or walnuts, they add such a nice crunchy texture to the fudge. You can toast them for a few minutes in the oven or on the stove top, for extra flavor. Or you can leave them out for an extra smooth fudge. Add about 1 1/2 cups to this recipe, saving about 1 TBS to sprinkle on top of the fudge.

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